The Unique Circumstances of Native American Juveniles Under Federal Supervision

Native Americans not only constitute the bulk of federal juveniles currently under supervision, but present unique challenges for probation and pretrial officers seeking to acknowledge and to some degree incorporate traditional Indian perceptions of wrongdoing and methods of dealing with crime. For example, Indian communities traditionally favor education, mentoring, and treatment over punishment, and their concept of family is more extensive than that of the larger culture. Author Brenda Donelan discusses these and other differences and suggests ways federal probation and pretrial officers can best supervise this unique population.