Self-Determination?

Abstract

In this article, the author discusses a relatively new system of juvenile justice in one American Indian community in the southwestern United States. A detention center operated by the tribal government, under contract with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, is at the center of this system. Using data collected from participant observation and interviews, the author analyzes the detention center as a “self-determination” program. The author discusses the relative isolation of this program, the lack of community understanding or support for its operation, and the conflict within and between juvenile justice agencies that plague this system. The author also explores the perspectives of community members regarding self-determination and justice for juveniles. The author concludes that the detention center, as a self-determination contract, does not represent meaningful self-government for the people in this Indian community.