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Crime Wave in Indian Country: DOJ Tackles Violent Crime and Opioid Epidemic
Violent crime and the opioid epidemic are raging in Indian Country, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made combating these issues a top priority, and the DOJ is taking action to address the problem.
The Attorney General’s Advisory Subcommittee on Native American Issues (NAIS) met in Tulsa, Oklahoma from August 13-15 to discuss crime reduction strategies in Indian Country. U.S. Attorney Trent S. Shores, who serves as Chairman of the NAIS, and Principal Chief of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation James Floyd gave remarks during the meeting.
On Tuesday, August 14, the NAIS visited and met with the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The DOJ has been actively addressing violence against women and children in Indian Country through partnerships with federal, tribal, state, and local law enforcement, investigating and prosecuting crimes, grant programs, training and technical assistance, and information sharing with tribes.
The DOJ has also expanded the Tribal Access Program (TAP), which provides federally recognized tribes with the ability to access and exchange data with the national crime information databases for both civil and criminal purposes. Through TAP, tribes have contributed nearly 600 sex offender registrations and over 550 sex offender check-ins; nearly 300 instances of data entry that would prohibit someone from being able to purchase a firearm; over 1,000 orders of protection entered or modified; and over 4,200 finger-print based record checks for civil purposes that include employment, tribal housing placement, and personnel/volunteers who have regular contact with or control over Indian children.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Indian and Alaska Native women experienced some of the highest rates of homicide based on an analysis from 18 states. The DOJ’s Office on Violence Against Women has funded Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys (SAUSAs) to enhance prosecution of Indian Country cases and strengthen relationships and cooperation between federal and tribal law enforcement.
The DOJ has also set aside $110 million in a program to provide assistance to crime victims in tribal communities. The FY 2018 Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Program can be used to provide a wide range of victims’ services for victims of human trafficking, crime victimization related to the opioid and drug crisis, child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, homicide, and assault, among other crimes.
The DOJ’s efforts to combat crime in Indian Country have been met with significant results. Approximately 85 percent of the DOJ’s pending Indian Country investigations relate to violent crime, with the most investigated crimes including child sexual abuse, violent assaults, and adult sexual assaults, followed by homicide, other forms of child abuse, drug, and property crimes.
Key Facts
- State: Oklahoma
- Category: Violent Crime|Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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