Military and Native American Criminal Justice - Native American Justice Systems

Prior to the European settlement of North America in the early seventeenth century, many long-established Native American groups handled justice through traditional means. Rather than two sides presenting arguments before a judge, Native Americans preferred both sides reach an agreement together. In the early twenty-first century, about 560 federally recognized tribes use traditional methods to resolve disputes and address criminal activity. The tribes are quite different in population size, structure, culture, language, available funding, and even traditions.