Child Welfare and Alaska Native Tribal Governance: A Pilot Project in Kake, Alaska — Report of Findings

Abstract

This report details research on child welfare decision-making in Kake in the context of a proposed ordinance for the establishment of an organized tribal court in the village. The tribal court did not, in fact, come into being at that time, but the researchers were able to follow the development of a different local decision-making approach — circle sentencing. The research revealed that welfare issues and problems were handled through a variety of informal and formal methods that reflected Tlingit cultural emphases. Ideas arising from outside, such as circle sentencing, were selectively adapted.