Restorative Justice in Indian Country
Wellness courts provide an example of how some tribal governments are using indigenous sovereignty to build a community-based justice system, rooted in support and trust rather than punishment. The Penobscot Nation has embraced the wellness court as an alternative to incarceration. (North Wind Picture Archives / Alamy Stock Photo)
When Kris Loring stepped into the Penobscot Nationâs Healing to Wellness Court on Indian Island in Penobscot, Maine, around four years ago, he immediately felt the difference.
âIt definitely wasnât like a regular court,â he said. Attending his hearing was like âsitting down in a big living room. . . . Youâre all right in a circle, wherever you want to sit.â