My, my, my... Things seem to be humming along on this tread, arent they?
I do have to point out one thing to our Cherokee brother, who says the way to stop going to jail is to stop breaking the law. Well, on its face, that seems to be a plan, however, In the US today, the majority of the million in jail - the largest percent of a society in jail, in history - are there for drug related offences. The statistical evidence is that - for the most part, when a white middle class kid uses drugs it is a medical problem, when a Black or Hispanic kid uses drugs, he or she is jailed. Now we can all jump in with examples, however statisticaly it is provable, and there is a class eliment in that the poor - sub working class white kid is going to jail as well.
I have the honnor to judge in an Algonquin court. An Iroquois chief, I know is fond of saying, for the answer, get back to the people. Go back to whatever of your elders are rooted in their cherokee traditions, brother. You will find that sweat lodges and being brought into the center of your community works better than jail for Cherokees. What will work for the more complicated world of non Native America is a huge topic for an essay, however, it seems apartent that jails and exicution chambers dont work very well to keep down the crime rate.