Mission

Probation and Parole Services (“PPS”) is dedicated to positively advancing community wellness and the restoration of hozho by ensuring the rehabilitation of the client-offender in community-based supervision, and by ensuring the involvement of families, communities and relevant agencies. 

Community wellness, offender accountability, personal responsibility and restoration of hozho are core elements of traditional restorative justice.   

The term “restorative justice” as used in traditional Navajo justice is used in the literal sense, to “restore” in conformity with justice principles.  Wrongdoers, those who are harmed, and their affected communities are engaged in search of solutions that promote repair and rebuilding. 

In the Navajo justice context, there is a high level of accountability required by the community of an offender.  Because accountability and personal responsibility are emphasized, convictions, detention, and penalties in support of personal responsibility and community safety are not excluded.

Our justice system has a great responsibility to restore hozho, which involves ensuring all resources necessary to rehabilitate and bring the offender back into their community according to traditional principles are provided.  Communicating with victims and advocates is also part of restoring hozho. 

PPS shall:

• Provide programming, either directly or through community resources, to assist client-offenders and their traditional family structure and communities attain a crime-free and satisfactory life adjustment.   
• In addition to promoting accountability and personal responsibility, use all practical resources to encourage competence, self-worth and self-improvement in client-offenders under PPS jurisdiction and their family units.
• Ensure public safety through appropriate supervision of client-offenders under the jurisdiction of the Navajo Nation courts, including courtesy supervision to transferees from other jurisdictions;
• Place regulations on the client-offender to see that he/she fulfils all sentencing conditions and obligations imposed by the court.
• Promote, enhance and maintain exchange of information and ideas to provide more efficient probation and parole services to the Navajo people.
• Gather and provide useful information in furtherance of this mission, including needs assessments, recommendations, written reports, and verbal testimony.
• Maintain secure, current and accurate case records.
• Generally promote community wellness and hozho.