While the article on restoratice justice (BDN, Dec. 13-14) was a well-written treatment of the subject, it was misleading in its suggestion that the concept is “new.” To the contrary, the idea of restorative justice is actually an ancient one, having arisen in numerous indigenous societies throughout the world over the past millennia.

The practice of involving offender, victim and community in the disposition of justice has been and continues to be an ongoing part of many Native American judicial systems. This method of holistic justice actually serves as the model for existing state programs. Although its adoption by various non-tribal systems is, in fact, new, the concept itself is as old as the many tribal people who have used it, quite successfully, for thousands of years. Gary M. Growe Chief judge Penobscot Nation Tribal Court Old Town