DOJ Calls for Better Law Enforcement on Indian Reservations
Citing an “unacceptable tide of domestic and sexual violence” on Indian reservations, a senior U.S. Department of Justice official has called on federal prosecutors in 33 states to step up law enforcement efforts there.
In a memo, David Ogden, a deputy of Attorney General Eric Holder, also promised additional troops—47 attorneys and FBI agents—to help with the effort, reports the Associated Press. A press conference on the issue is planned by Holder.
The murder rates against women in some Native American tribes is10 times higher than the national average, the article notes.
Jurisdictional conflicts between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies as well as the geographic range and isolation of some reservations can make combating crime there particularly challenging.
Earlier coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Tribal Courts a Tough Gig for Judges”
ABAJournal.com: “Judge Axes Verdict Due to Racist Remarks”
ABAJournal.com: “Reservation Law: Separate & Unequal?”
