Navajo Nation Justice and Public Safety Centers

Master Plan

JCJ supported the work of Dyron Murphy Architects on initial planning aimed at creating prototypical design for Justice Centers that could site adapted for locations across Navajo lands. The team collaborated closely on the complex tasks of facility programming, design, and justice technology integration.
In keeping with the Nation’s restorative justice approach, a broad range of Navajo agencies were involved in planning and review including Corrections, Courts, Peacemaking, Prosecutor, Probation, Law Enforcement, Public Defender, Family Liaison, Adult and Juvenile Detention, Alternatives to Incarceration, Youth Assessment, and the Departments of Social Services and Behavioral Health. The project required the team to achieve consensus across this broad range of stakeholder groups.

The overall mission of the master plan was to create a holistic system of justice that would provide a safe, secure and culturally relevant place where victim and the community receive healing and restorative services; where violators would be held accountable for their behavior while having access to rehabilitative services; and where an integrated and efficient approach to justice, behavioral health and social service would be delivered.

Implementation – Crownpoint and Tuba City

The first two facilities were developed in Tuba City and Crownpoint. These projects received funding of $75 million from the Federal Stimulus Program from the Department of Justice for a Category II: Construction for Single-Tribe of Multi-purpose Justice Centers. In meeting the requirements of “shovel ready,” the project began construction in August 2011.