Tribal courts across the country are expanding holistic alternatives to the criminal justice system

UNDATED (AP)- Holistic treatment of people in the criminal justice system is not new in Indian Country, but there are new programs coming on board as well as expanded approaches. The National American Indian Court Judges Association says about one-third of the U.S.’s roughly 320 tribal court systems have healing and wellness aspects. A program at the Port Gamble S’klallam Tribe in Washington state assigns wellness coaches to those in the county jail, while the Muscogee (Creek) Nation in Oklahoma helps with financial support and housing services. Advocates of tribal healing to wellness initiatives see the approaches as a way to shift the narrative of someone’s life and address the underlying causes of criminal activity.