Several things happened over those sixteen years which show that the traditional method of dealing with problems works well. The court rules assumed that judges would send certain kinds of cases into peacemaking. Instead, the Navajo people use it as a matter of choice, and most peacemaking cases are walk-ins. In practice, the people who go into peacemaking bring all kinds of problems with them. The people select the case.
Domestic violence is handled in peacemaking at the victim's choice.
Many of cases involve alcohol use and abuse, and often family members bring their relatives into peacemaking to get them to address drinking behavior. One initiative, the Minority Male Project, which the Judicial Branch operated in conjunction with the Division of Social Services, shows that peacemaking is an effective way to deal with driving while intoxicated. Another project showed that it is effective to address delinquency. There are over 250 Navajo peacemakers in the Navajo Nation's 110 chapters. In 1982, the judges wanted to return responsibility to the people to handle their own problems.