NCJ Number
80509
Date Published
1980
Length
86 pages
Annotation
Following a status report on the Indian court system, this evaluation discusses the impact of the National American Indian Court Judges Association (NAICJA) training program on participating judges, the courts, and the Indian communities.
Abstract
The NAICJA was formed in 1968 by Indian court judges who were concerned about the effects of the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968 on the tribal justice system. In 1970, LEAA awarded grants to this organization for research on court needs and training Indian court justices. To evaluate the training activities, a private research firm reviewed the status of the Indian courts from October 1977 through March 1980, interviewed judges on the NAICJA Board, analyzed all questionnaires completed over the years by trainees, made site visits, and queried a random sample of 60 judges who had participated in the program. A description of the Indian courts covers education and vocational experience of judges before NAICJA training, the system's size, the high turnover issue, the physical environment, and the tribal council's attitude toward the courts. The training program is based on elements of the Anglo Saxon system with adversary structure and discovery procedures, but little emphasis is given to traditional methods of dealing with disputes or violations. The evaluation also surveyed a panel of judges regarding priorities for training subjects and examined methods used to develop lesson plans, selection procedures, and roles of the NAICJA board and committees. Questionnaires completed by 60 judges revealed that most rated the NAICJA training high on all aspects but wanted more training in several criminal law subjects. Tests administered before and after the course demonstrated that training improved the judges' legal knowledge. The evaluators visited 15 courts to review recordkeeping procedures and assess judicial performances. Responses from persons other than judges indicated that the courts were generally performing their roles in conformance with NAICJA principles. A comparison of the NAICJA program with eight other court training projects partially funded by LEAA showed that NAICJA training was rated higher by participants and the program used a much higher percentage of its training resources for direct service rather than staff costs. Recommendations to the program consider long-range planning, curriculum development, training methods, fiscal management, and program management. The appendixes contain a history of the NAICJA Court Training Program and data on characteristics of selected Indian courts. Tables and questionnaires used in the evaluation are included.