Criminal Justice in Indian Country

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The Department of Justice has reported that the crime rates experienced by American Indians are two and a half times higher than those experienced by the general population in the United States. Specifically, from 1992 to 2001, American Indians experienced violent crimes at a rate of 101 violent crimes per 1,000 persons annually, compared to the national rate of 41 per 1,000 persons. The federal government plays a major role in prosecuting crimes committed in Indian country. For example, unless a federal statute has granted the state jurisdiction, the federal government has exclusive jurisdiction to prosecute non-Indians who commit crimes against Indians in Indian country, while the federal government and tribal governments both have jurisdiction to prosecute Indian offenders who commit crimes in Indian country. This book explores criminal justice in Native American communities with a focus on tribal crime data and an overview of their jails.