Justice and Incarceration
Corrections trends, admissions, releases, sentencing, jurisdiction, revocations, and unequal system involvement.
Free Native-led public research
TTO Indigenous Justice Research Center
Providing accessible, community-centered research on justice, incarceration, prevention, reentry, behavioral health, healing, public funding, and community safety.
Why the Center exists
Communities should not have to purchase information about the systems affecting their lives.
The TTO Indigenous Justice Research Center makes reports, charts, research methods, source information, and educational resources freely available as part of Turquoise Tiospaye’s charitable and educational mission.
“Our work does not define Indigenous communities through incarceration or harm. It examines the systems, conditions, investments, strengths, and community-led solutions that shape safety and wellbeing.”
Research priorities
Information communities can understand, question, and use.
The Center examines both the harms affecting Native communities and the programs, relationships, resources, and cultural strengths that help create safety, stability, healing, and opportunity.
Reentry and Healing
Housing, employment, behavioral health, recovery, cultural connection, family reunification, mentoring, and community support.
Youth and Prevention
Youth justice, diversion, education, emotional intelligence, cultural mentoring, family participation, and early intervention.
MMIP and Community Safety
Missing and murdered Indigenous people, victim services, jurisdictional barriers, reporting systems, and community response.
Funding and Policy
Public spending, grants, legislation, program investments, implementation gaps, and opportunities for community action.
Data Accountability
Research methods, missing data, conflicting definitions, jurisdictional limitations, source verification, and transparency.
Current publications
Free research for public education and community action.
Pilot Issue No. 1
Indigenous Justice & Community Safety Brief
This pilot publication organizes and analyzes publicly available reporting related to Native justice, incarceration, prevention, reentry, behavioral health, healing, and community-based solutions.
Coming next
South Dakota Indigenous Justice Trends
A community-centered examination of incarceration, jurisdiction, reentry, prevention, healing, funding, and community safety.
Research principles
Independent, transparent, and accountable.
- TTO clearly identifies the sources used in its publications.
- Data limitations and missing information are disclosed rather than hidden.
- Funders and supporters do not control research findings or recommendations.
- Indigenous communities are not reduced to crime statistics, deficits, or stereotypes.
- Research considers history, jurisdiction, public investment, community strengths, and opportunities for prevention and healing.
- Public information is translated into practical knowledge that families, advocates, organizations, and communities can use.