"The Peacegiving Court" The Coquille Tradition of Restorative Juvenile Justice

This award is made under the FY 2006 Tribal Courts Assistance Program and it supports the development, implementation, enhancement, and continuing operation of tribal justice systems. Allowable elements under the program may include, but are not limited to: establishing a core structure for a tribal court, improving case management, training court personnel, acquiring additional equipment and/or software, enhancing prosecution and indigent defense, supporting probation diversion and alternative sentencing programs, accessing services, focusing on juvenile services and multi disciplinary protocols for child physical and sexual abuse, and structuring intertribal or tribal appellate systems.

The Coquille Indian Tribe's Peacegiving Court is based on a Coquille Tribal tradition that resonates with the concept of restorative juvenile justice. The Court honors disputants as part of the tribal community, while promoting mutual ownership of outcomes, using tribal law, procedure, culture, and tradition. Increasingly, parties to conflict are not satisfied with mere settlement of court cases. Rightfully, they demand lasting, meaningful outcomes that bring back balance to their lives. Research in such areas as balanced and restorative justice, peer courts, family conferencing, and mentoring, all emphasize the value of coordinated efforts in 'Peacegiving' as justice, to the harmed, the accused, and the community. The Coquille Indian Tribe proposes the following goals for their FY 2006 Tribal Courts Assistance Program grant: make the Coquille Peacegiving Court accessible to all Coquille tribal families in the five-county service area, and develop full cooperation and support for the Peacegiving Court from the non-tribal courts, non-tribal police departments, and non-tribal legal and social services systems in the five-county service area.

CA/NCF