Wellness Programming

The Yurok Tribe's options to implement restorative justice programs were limited due to its location in a PL-280 state, leaving them with very little authority over incarceration. Recognizing the need for change, tribal leaders pushed jurisdictional boundaries, reformed the tribal court, and began working with neighboring counties to make wellness the primary focus of the tribal justice system.

As the tribal court transitioned away from the western model, Yurok customs became the basis for new procedures. Tribal court staff engage with offenders in the way a Yurok aunt or uncle would, with an emphasis on community members’ responsibilities to and for one another. Court personnel dress informally and meet with defendants around conference tables that, when pushed together, visually recreate the culturally significant Klamath Watershed.

The Yurok Tribe’s Wellness Programming shows there are strong benefits to incorporating cultural practices into the justice system. Court personnel help remove barriers to compliance, such as providing transportation for offenders to and from Klamath for court appearances. This approach reflects traditional village justice as community members work together to restore harmony and help offenders make amends for harmful actions. The court emphasizes non-monetary “fines” that reflect the importance of personal responsibility to the Yurok community.

In response to growing community needs, they pursue opportunities that reinforce concurrent jurisdiction and defendant rehabilitation. In 2023, the court is finalizing an agreement with Humboldt County to formally divert Yurok criminal defendants to its wellness programs under the supervision of the tribe's reentry program. Also, with an award of $15 million, the tribe embarks on building a regional treatment center bringing needed services to tribes and non-Indians throughout the region. 

The strengths of the wellness model are gaining attention from tribes as far away as Maine, Alaska, and Oklahoma, and even from non-Indian city leaders. In addition to welcoming tribal guests to observe a program based on the Yurok value system of interconnectedness, the tribe has been asked to advise on a Child Support Pilot Program for the City and County of San Francisco, in particular advising on their in-kind support model for families featuring family cooperative parenting approaches.