"Six deaths, including four suicides, plus 30 suicide attempts and 12 escapes occurred at just 14 jails on Indian reservations in the West in the past three years. Most of those incidents were never reported to the Bureau of Indian Affairs detention manager.

The situation is deplorable. Only Indians are held in these jails. Generally, only people suspected of or convicted on misdemeanor offenses are jailed on reservations. Felony cases are handled in federal court and those defendants are housed in county jails under contract with the U.S. Marshal's Service.

Along with recent congressional hearings on Indian jail problems, this report must spur the BIA, Congress and tribal leaders to action. Otherwise, this nation will continue to have a minority group of minor offenders subjected to deplorable conditions that wouldn't be tolerated off the reservations."

Get the Story:
Gazette opinion: Time to heed warning on Indian jails (The Billings Gazette 7/9)

Interim Jail Report:
Text | PDF

Senate Hearing :
Witness Testimony | Real Video

Indian Country Jail Reports:
Year 2002 | Year 2001 | Year 2000 | Years 1998-1999

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