NCJ Number
126850
Date Published
Unknown
Length
34 pages
Annotation
The fundamental responsibility of tribal courts in Indian Country is to administer fair and equal justice.
Abstract
However, the conditions under which these courts must operate: jurisdictional clouds and conflicts, inadequate funding for routine operations, a chronic lack of trained personnel and a historical indifference to these courts as equal branches of tribal governments make this extremely difficult. Over the years, the courts of American Indian tribes have developed without the basic support afforded Federal and State judiciaries. While violations of human and civil rights may occur in tribal courts, blatant individual and systemic violations are taking place in the Federal and State courts. The systematic denials of the group rights of Indian people have yet to be addressed, particularly the right to "be Indian" and to exercise self-determination through self-government. If the Justice Department and the U.S. Civil Rights Commission were genuinely concerned about protecting civil liberties of individuals in Indian country, they would discard their political agenda and support the improvement of tribal courts and tribal government institutions.