Chief Judge Abby Abinanti, Yurok Tribe.

Abby Abinanti, the chief judge of the Yurok Tribe in California, has dedicated her life to establishing innovative justice systems that focus on restoring offenders rather than punishing them. She has been a national leader in preventing Tribal members from going to prison, keeping children in their communities, and addressing the school-to-prison pipeline affecting Native youth. Judge Abby's work was featured in the documentary "Tribal Justice," which highlights her efforts to shift away from punishment-oriented methods and towards more personal and effective ways of dealing with offenders. She has been working in Indian law since 1974 and has made significant contributions to the field, including the creation of the first Tribal-run program to help members expunge their criminal records and California's first Tribal child support program. Judge Abby's court proceedings are different from traditional courtrooms, emphasizing mediation and Yurok traditions to resolve cases. She is recognized as a Human Rights Hero for her contributions to restorative and humane justice. [Extracted from the article]