Law and order in the World of Avatar

Society in the World of Avatar is both managed and constrained by a strict law-enforcing judicial system. Although most nations have their own unique system of law enforcement, their purpose is to preserve social order and peace. A prevalent problem in many civilizations is the lack of a fair judicial system, an adversity that stems from weak, controlling, or corrupted governments. However, these issues have lessened in recent times, primarily due to the work of a very reform-minded Avatar, Aang.

Air Nomads
A notable characteristic of their unique culture and society, Air Nomad civilization is the only nation not known to have a judicial system. A culture that appreciates and abets pacifism and equality, there has hardly ever been a need for strict law enforcement. No known cases of crime or misconduct have been reported in Air Nomad civilization, exemplifying the effectiveness of their philosophy and teachings. This has made their country the most peaceful and utopian in the World of Avatar.

Water Tribes


The Water Tribe is divided into thirds, with each portion completely independent of the others. Therefore, they have differing judicial systems. Only the Foggy Swamp Tribe lacks a known system of law enforcement.

Northern Water Tribe
The head chief of the Northern Water Tribe is in charge of the entire judicial system, including crime-fighting, law interpretation, and court trial. The chief has complete flexibility over the entire system, being able to bend the law to his or her preference and control trials. The council sometimes intervenes, generally to advise or assist the chief in his or her actions.

The only known laws in the Northern Water Tribe are those that pertain to the rights of women. Women that live here are considered subordinate to men. The law has put major restrictions on their rights, such as not allowing them to waterbend or choose their own spouse. Most women align themselves to these rules, so the consequences for defying them are not well understood. When Aang was caught teaching Katara waterbending, his master, Pakku, suspended his lessons. In another incident, Katara was attacked by Pakku for using waterbending on him. Neither event resulted in a trial or arrest.

Southern Water Tribe
Following the attacks of the Southern Raiders, the political system of the Southern Water Tribe quickly became disorganized. No formal judicial system was created after this in the near future. By the time of Avatar Aang's arrival at Sokka's village in 99 ASC, all men had left to support the Earth Kingdom in the Hundred Year War. Sokka, who was still a teenager, now led the villagers. He managed the village and everybody reported to him, meaning he was the one who judged the village's rules and determined the consequences for breaking them. Sokka also had the ability to banish anybody who was under his authority from the village. The only person known to have been banished was Aang. According to Sokka, he was acting unruly.

Earth Kingdom


Because of its weak central government and high level of local autonomy, the Earth Kingdom lacks a unified legal code. Each town has its own set of laws, and the judicial system varies from one region to another, which is typically overseen by local officials or magistrates.

Chin Village
Known for its unconventional judicial system and barbaric style of execution, Chin Village has been identified by many as one of the strangest places in the entire Earth Kingdom. The sole government leader of the village, the mayor has complete control over the entire judicial system. He or she is allowed to bend the laws to his or her preference and deliver all case verdicts.

Imprisonment is used in the village, although only while waiting for a trial to begin. Several prisoners can be fit into a single jail cell, most of which are located outdoors. If a criminal is found guilty, execution is almost always used. However, prisoners are not allowed to defend themselves, and cannot use defense lawyers or evidence in their trial. Public execution in Chin Village is done with a Wheel of Punishment. At the end of a trial, the wheel is spun at an amphitheater to determine what type of punishment the criminal will receive. Different portions of the wheel have different types of punishment depicted on them, most of which is harsh and deadly. The punishment ranges from being boiled alive to participating in community service.

The only known laws in Chin Village are that you can only pay with Earth Kingdom currency and you cannot commit murder. These rules are often not applied, however. For example, when Team Avatar first paid money in Water Tribe currency, they were not panned, but were detained the second time they did so. Also, it is considered a crime if you enter the village and one of your ancestors was a murderer (even if you are only spiritually connected with that ancestor). For example, Avatar Aang was condemned upon arrival at Chin Village because a past Avatar, Kyoshi, had killed one of the village's former leaders.

Omashu
The highest position in Omashu's judicial system is the king. Boasting unchallenged authority throughout the city, the king holds control over much of the city's systems of law enforcement. He decides the rules of the city and is in charge of the police force. Omashu is not known to hold trials; instead, criminals are brought before the king in his palace, where the ensuing punishment is determined by officials. Since there are no trials, the arrested are usually imprisoned while the king approaches a final verdict. Being part of the palace, the jail cells are surprisingly well-decorated, capacious, and clean. They have several beds, tables, rugs, chairs, and other furniture that allow them to accommodate multiple prisoners at a time. The cells are often nicely refurbished and comfortable.

Omashu's single known law refers to the protection of public and private property, including the infrastructure of the city's elaborate delivery system. Causing damage to any type of property is strictly forbidden and considered a severe offense. When Team Avatar committed this crime, their leader, Aang, was required to complete three tricky challenges for Bumi, the city's reigning monarch. For the first challenge, Aang needed to retrieve a key from behind a large waterfall. For the next one, Aang had to find Flopsie, a goat gorilla that was the king's animal guide. He initially thought he should be looking for a lop-eared rabbit. In the last challenge, Aang fought King Bumi himself, a duel that was inconclusive. There was an overriding time limit during all three of the challenges, because if Aang didn't finish them quickly enough, his friends would have become consumed by self-growing jennamite. Bumi claimed he forced Aang to do these dangerous challenges because he wanted to see if he was truly prepared to fight Fire Lord Ozai and end the War for good.

Mining village
Despite being located in Earth Kingdom territory, the mining village is governed by the Fire Nation. The village's government fell into the hands of foreign administrators toward the end of the Hundred Year War. Since 94 ASC, firebenders have controlled the village's judicial system. Earth Kingdom natives do not play a role in the village's politics, and are more often than not belittled by firebenders. Occasionally, natives report unseen crime to the Fire Nation.

A notable law in the village is the restriction on earthbending. As a safety precaution against rebelling natives, earthbending has been declared illegal by official authorities. When caught in the act, earthbenders are immediately arrested and later brought to an offshore prison rig by boat. Here, there is no earth, so they cannot use bending to escape. It is not known if the prisoners that come here can ever be released. The prison itself is quite large and made entirely of metal. It is divided into two parts by a tall wall and tower; on one side is the prison while on the other there is a shipyard. The prison is open to the outside world and very spacious, being able to easily house all prisoners. Guards watch over the imprisoned at all times of the day, maintaining maximum security and providing food and blankets. They report directly to the warden. At the shipyard, prisoners are forced to build, refuel, and if necessary, repair ships.

Another rule requires natives to pay taxes to the Fire Nation. If any refuse to do so, tax collectors retaliate with firebending attacks.

Plains village
The structure of the judicial system in Plains village is unknown, but the village is protected from crime by a small battalion of Earth Kingdom soldiers. The soldiers, however, have been noted by the villagers as being very corrupt and ineffective in doing their job. With no laws restraining them in their duty, they are free to do whatever they want. The soldiers often misuse this ability, stealing food and supplies from villagers to use for their own purposes.

Fire Nation
Although there are many stereotypes, as made evident by Sokka, that the Fire Nation executed criminals publicly and had a corrupt judicial system, the Fire Nation has shown that they incorporate reasonable laws and punishments.

During the Hundred Years' War, the Fire Nation accumulated many prisoners of war. It appears that leaders of Fire Nation resistance programs, such as Hakoda, are imprisoned at the high security prison known as the Boiling Rock. Other prisoners of war are typically sent to specialized prisons where they can not bend and have little chance of escape. For example, Tyro and his fellow earthbenders were taken aboard a ship made of metal with no obvious source of earth. Hama, on the other hand, was sent to a prison specifically made and regulated to restrict waterbenders. Domestic prisoners of war, including Iroh and Ozai, were usually sent to a prison near the Fire Nation's capital.