Tribe: Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa
Sec. 20-1102. Findings.
(a) The young people of the Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa of the
Meskwaki Settlement are the Tribe’s most vital resource and because of their importance to the
Tribe, their welfare shall be prioritized in a manner consistent in preserving the entire Tribe as a
whole. Whenever a minor child is routed through the Meskwaki Nation Juvenile Court the Court
shall facilitate justice that shall be consistent with the youth’s mental, physical, emotional, and
spiritual needs. It is the ultimate goal of the Court, and the Tribe, to turn juvenile offenders into
productive Tribal members.
(b) The Meskwaki youth are sacred. They are the lifeblood of our future as a society
and a Nation. It is therefore critical to ensure that the Meskwaki youth receive nurturing
guidance, and access to resources essential to their success as individuals and as members and
descendants of the Nation. The Meskwaki Nation Juvenile Court provides a Tribal forum which
recognizes and applies Meskwaki values and beliefs to resolve problems or disputes, and brings
healing to Meskwaki youth and their families. This shall be achieved by helping connect the
youth with Meskwaki values, helping the youth develop a sense of belonging within the Nation,
and helping to restore health and balance to Meskwaki youth and their families.
(c) The law as it pertains to the Meskwaki youth shall be applied in the spirit of
rehabilitating the youth who have temporarily lost their way, and ensuring that the Meskwaki
youth receive nurturing, guidance, and support from the youth’s family, clan, and the Tribe. In
instances where a pattern of strife or neglect has manifested in a youth’s life, the Meskwaki
Nation Juvenile Court shall ensure that the youth receives support from members of the youth’s
family, clan, and/-or the Tribe, so that the Meskwaki youth know that they are not alone on their
journey. The Meskwaki Nation Juvenile Court is not a forum for placing blame, it is a forum for
the community to instill a sense of hope in the Meskwaki youth, so that they may continue on a
positive path, full of possibility. […] Sec. 20-1103. Purpose
(a) This Title and laws relating to proceedings under this title shall be liberally
construed to carry out the following purposes: (1) To secure for each youth coming before the Meskwaki Nation Juvenile
Court such care, guidance, and safety as shall serve his/her welfare, including the youth’s
spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical well-being;
(2) To recognize that the Tribe’s youth deserve a sense of respect, love,
stability, and belonging and are entitled to knowledge about their unique spiritual, and
cultural heritage, Tribal customs and traditions, history, language, religion, and values;
(3) To remove from youth the legal consequences of delinquent behavior and
to provide a continuum of services for youth and their families, with an emphasis on
prevention, early intervention, and community-based solutions that shall provide support
and assist the youth in the development of competencies which shall enable the youth to
become a responsible member of the community;
(4) To improve any conditions which may be contributing to a youth’s
delinquency, including conditions within the youth’s home;
(5) To encourage parents to develop the wisdom and strength to act for the
welfare of their youth; and
(6) To provide for the best interests of the Tribe, to promote and strengthen
ties within the community, including family ties, and to help recognize, encourage, and
restore the Meskwaki ways of being.