Juvenile Justice Policies and Disparities among Indigenous Youth in South Dakota

• In Event: Roundtable: Understudied areas in juvenile justice - CANCELLED

Abstract

Indigenous youth in South Dakota are disproportionately impacted by the juvenile justice system, reflecting broader patterns of structural inequity, historical trauma, and systemic underinvestment. We will discuss how current juvenile justice policies—from arrest through detention and court processing—contribute to racialized disparities for Native youth. We will focus on decision points where disparities emerge and consider how cultural disconnection, jurisdictional fragmentation, and punitive models exacerbate outcomes. We will include a discussion of potential reforms including culturally grounded diversion programs and alternatives to confinement rooted in Indigenous values.

Authors

• Vivian Aranda-Hughes, Michigan State University

• Izabela Weglarz, Michigan State University