Source: (2014) Alaska Justice Forum. 31(3-4):1, 15-20.
Alaska Native tribes have used sentencing
circles and other cultural traditions to
address problems involving tribal members
for centuries. This way of dealing with
disputes in a restorative and reparative
manner eventually gave way to an adversarial
process when Alaska was purchased
by the United States. Alaska Natives have
always had a unique relationship with the
federal government; there is currently only
one reservation in Alaska and limited other
forms of Indian country in the state. In 1971
the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act
(ANCSA) was signed into law, extinguishing
all unsettled Alaska Native claims to
land by placing title to land in the control
of Alaska Native corporations. Subsequent
cases have determined that land transferred
to Alaska Native corporations via ANCSA
cannot be considered Indian country for the
purpose of establishing tribal courtjurisdiction.(excerpt)
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