Source: (1998) Remarks of the Honorable Robert Yazzie, Chief Justice of the Navajo Nation, presented at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona, on 1 May. Downloaded 3 September 2004.
According to Robert Yazzie, the Navajo Nation courts are unique in that they have traditional and modern adjudication systems side-by-side. These courts were founded in 1959 on the Western model of statutes and rules of procedure. In 1982 they began to revive and employ Navajo peacemaking, the traditional Navajo system of justice. Yazzie describes in some detail this Navajo approach to healing and community justice, and how it is structured and used in the Navajo judicial system. He further compares this to other alternative approaches to crime, including restorative justice, community justice, and specialized courts.
Your donation helps Prison Fellowship International repair the harm caused by crime by emphasizing accountability, forgiveness, and making amends for prisoners and those affected by their actions. When victims, offenders, and community members meet to decide how to do that, the results are transformational.
Donate Now