Incorporating "Mutton Flavor": Traditional Way of Life Into Probation Supervision

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Twenty-five years as a Probation Officer. Background experience of Court Bailiff and Correction Officer. Speaks fluent Navajo and has the ability to interpret the Dine language concepts used as life's lessons.

Jo Ann Holyan-Terry, is the Senior Probation Officer at the Crownpoint Judicial Branch of the Navajo Nation located in Crownpoint, New Mexico. Jo Ann has 35 years of experience with the Navajo Nation Judicial Probation & Parole Services. She supervises the Eastern Region, consisting of six Navajo Nation Judicial Districts in two states (Alamo, NM; Tohajiilee, NM; Pueblo Pintado, NM; Crownpoint, NM; Shiprock, NM; Aneth, UT). She attended Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado.

In his current capacity, Harmon J. Mason is a Senior Probation Officer for the Navajo Nation Judicial Branch’s Probation & Parole Services Department. Mr. Mason has served in this capacity since 2012, managing the Central Region of the largest Native American tribe in the United States, which spans across Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. Prior to his current tenure, Mr. Mason served as a District Court Probation Officer for (12) years with the Navajo Nation, working with adult and minor children’s cases. Compassionate, caring, fair, and understanding are just a few words that describe his personality. Mr. Mason enjoys providing training and technical assistance to his fellow colleagues within the Navajo Probation Department. He also enjoys developing policy and networking with service providers to benefit the needs of clients. Prior to becoming a Probation Officer, Ms. Mason was a Research Assistant and Ethnographer for California State University-Sacramento, Department of Anthropology. In 1995, Mr. Mason completed his undergraduate studies at the University of New Mexico-Albuquerque in Communications and Sociology. In his spare time, he enjoys staying active, traveling, and spending time with family.

Lucinda Adekai-Yellowhair is an enrolled tribal member of the Navajo Nation (Dine’) She currently holds the Director’s position as the Chief Probation Officer for the Navajo Nation Probation & Parole Services under the Navajo Nation Judicial Branch, Window Rock, Arizona. She holds a B.S dual degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology, she also holds an M.ED. in Counseling-Human Relations from the University of Northern Arizona. Lucinda has more than 35 years of experience in the Navajo Nation Criminal Justice system, 17 years as an adult and juvenile probation officer, 5 years as a Court Administrator and 14 years as a Chief Probation Officer. Chief Probation Officer Adekai-Yellowhair developed the current Navajo Probation & Parole Services sustaining its own business unit, training curriculum, and moving towards establishing the first probation academy in Indian Country. Lucinda serves as the first female Chief Probation Officer for the Navajo Nation. Lucinda oversees thirteen probation districts across the Navajo Nation with the assistance of three senior probation officers she supervises. Districts that extend into Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. Lucinda serves on various committees and as a stakeholder. She has served on the Arizona Supreme Court to the Committee on Probation since 2015. She also serves on the Dine’ Action Plan Advisory Committee, a multidisciplinary advisory approach to addressing modern day ill-starred effects of “naayee’” She is a stakeholder serving on the Navajo Nation Integrated Justice Information Sharing Project. Community Court Partnership, worked on implementing the Community Court initiative in the Utah Navajo Court/Probation Services through pilot work of Center for Court Innovations in 2010-2011. Served 5 years as a volunteer victim advocate under the “Victim Advocacy Volunteer Program” a non-profit organization to assist the local Navajo Nation Police Department in Kayenta, Arizona. Over the years, Lucinda has collaborated with multiple jurisdictions, including County, State, Federal and Tribal agencies in the four corners region. Lucinda’s concept of the “Mutton Flavor”, a uniqueness she incorporates; language, enriched culture and the Dine way of life into probation supervision, “returning to tradition doesn’t mean returning to the past, it means reconnecting our way of life and teachings of our ancestors