All Juvenile Justice in Independence

Tribal juvenile justice systems, like many state systems, have seen a significant shift in recent years away from punitive policies that rely heavily on detention and toward community-based interventions that seek to give young offenders the support they need to avoid future justice system involvement. Youth play a special role in many tribal communities, and young tribal members face a unique set of challenges. Native youth experience high rates of substance abuse, mental health disorders, suicide, poverty, and exposure to violence, often the result of historical and intergenerational trauma. Recognizing the need to address these challenges, tribes are connecting justice-involved youth with treatment, counseling, healthy social activities, family supports, cultural programming, mentoring, and other critical services. These programs seek to protect youth from a future of crime and incarceration and build a new generation of tribal leaders.