The National Center on Restorative Justice’s (NCORJ) Tribal Restorative Justice Laws Database was created as a resource for restorative justice advocates, practitioners, researchers, and policy-makers—both for tribes and throughout other jurisdictions in the United States. Our aim is to organize and display in an easily navigated format the ways in which tribes have codified the use of restorative justice approaches. This database expands upon NCORJ’s Restorative Justice Laws Database, which lists state restorative justice laws.
The expansion of the Restorative Justice Laws Database to include tribal laws was a natural one. Contemporary restorative justice has roots in Indigenous cultures and practices, both in the United States and globally, and tribes continue to be leaders in restorative justice practice and systems today. This Tribal Restorative Justice Laws Database shows the many codified restorative justice practices that exist in tribal law and is, to our knowledge, the first time this data has been collected and presented in a public and easily accessible format.
Thank you to Grace Carson for her leadership and expertise in the creation of this database. Thank you also to the research assistants who helped on this project: Kylie Belt, Anna VanRoy, and Jonathan Eagle.
The NCORJ is committed to continuing to update this database. This database was last updated in January 2026. If you see something that is missing or a correction is required, please be in touch. For more information about the development of the database, to get assistance navigating it, or to request a copy of the raw data for research purposes, please contact Lindsey Pointer (lpointer@vermontlaw.edu).
NOTES REGARDING THE TRIBAL CODES AND TRIBES INCLUDED IN THE DATABASE
Tribal Code Accessibility
Many tribes’ legal codes are not included in this database due to the fact that those tribes do not have their code published and/or do not wish to share their code with the public. The codes in this database should not be considered the only tribal restorative justice laws to exist.
Tribes Included
The tribes included in the Tribal Restorative Justice Laws Database are those who are federally recognized. Federally recognized tribes are those that are formally acknowledged by the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs as holding a government-to-government relationship with the federal government. As such, these tribes have recognized tribal sovereignty. With recognized tribal sovereignty comes the right to tax, make and enforce laws, and regulate activities. Important for this database, federal recognition comes with established tribal criminal jurisdiction (though, this jurisdiction is dependent on where the tribe is located, among other factors). Tribes that are not federally recognized (i.e., are only state recognized) lack the ability to exercise the same rights and powers that tribes whose sovereignty is formally acknowledged by the federal government, and as such, lack tribal criminal jurisdiction (though, tribes that are not federally recognized may be able to establish restorative justice practices and efforts through other means, such as through social services, grant funded projects, and intergovernmental agreements with the state). Because of this, we decided to limit the tribes included in this database to those that are federally recognized. We acknowledge that the recognition process for tribes is a product of settler colonialism, and purposefully exclusionary. We do not view tribes that are not federally recognized as any less valid than those that are.
Additional Information
5-31-A-2. DIVERSION. A. Send out Summons to parent(s)/guardian(s) and child. B. Parent(s)/guardian(s) and child will meet with Court Services Officer. C. Parent(s)/guardian(s) and child will acknowledge involvement. D. Parent(s)/guardian(s) and child will sign documents to enter Diversion Program. E. Documents…
Subsection 3. Role of the Court in Regard to the Mandatory Arrest Provision (Sub-Section 2 Above) A. Anyone arrested under this ordinance shall be held until arraignment. B. Prior to the release of the defendant a community volunteer will talk…
Subsection 6. Relief by the Court A. Restrain the abusing party from committing acts of domestic abuse. B. Exclude the abusing party from the dwelling which the parties share or from the residence of the petitioner and restrain the abusing…
Sec. 5-5-22 Dispositional Alternatives If the minor has been adjudicated a juvenile offender, the plan of disposition and treatment may provide for: A. Placement of the child on probation with the supervision of the probation officer or other designated Court…
Sec. 14-6-1 Relief by the Court Upon notice and hearing, the court may provide relief as follows: A. Restrain the abusing party from committing acts of elder abuse. B. Exclude the abusing party from the dwelling which the parties share…
Section 5-6-5: Decree of disposition: Upon adjudication as a child in need of supervision, the Court shall enter a decree of disposition according to the least restrictive alternative available in the best interests of the child. The Court decree shall…
Section 5-4-47: Orders of protection: The Court may enter an order of protection in addition to, or as condition of, any decree of disposition authorized by this Chapter. The order of protection shall set forth reasonable conditions of behavior to…
Section 2-19-19. Conditions of Probation or Suspension of Sentence. The conditions of probation or of suspension of sentence shall provide in addition to any other conditions, that the defendant not commit another tribal, federal or state crime during the term…
31.910 Additional Court Rules in a Domestic Violence Proceeding. (a) If it appears to the Tribal Court that alcohol or drugs played a part in the crime, a chemical dependency evaluation with a treatment plan may be ordered prior to…
15.38 Disposition of a Neglected or Abused Child. If a child is found bytheJuvenileCourtto be neglected or abused, the Juvenile Court in its judgment shall issue an order of disposition in the best interests of the child, including but not…