Integrating the Past, Present, and Future

Source: (2006) In, Ross, Jeffrey Ian and Gould, Larry, editors, Native Americans and the Criminal Justice System, Paradigm Publisher, Boulder, London. Pp.237-241

The preceding chapters represent a collection of thoughts and the hard work of some of the leading scholars, activists, and policymakers working Indian Country today. At the very least, their writing is ostensibly about how Western constructs (including deviance, crime, criminal justice, and law) have been applied, many times with negative consequences, to Native Americans. This text also presents numerous examples of how native communities, in their own unique ways, have not only responded to Eurocentric laws, policies and practices, but also developed their own methods of dealing with individuals and groups who stray from accepted cultural norms. This body of work also presents some of the unique solutions to the cultural conflicts that have arisen from the oppressive policies of the US government over the last 225 or so years. Thus, not all reporting that comes out of Indian Country is of a negative or depressing nature. This chapter attempts to tie up the loose ends of this book and offers brief suggestions about future research and policy directions. It is broken into six areas: neglected topics, enduring dilemmas, the integration and adoption of technology, funding, blind spots and the ownership of the problem. (excerpt).