Victimization, Native American

Victimization Statistics

It is difficult to draw an accurate portrayal of American Indian victimization because of the obstacles in obtaining reliable data in Indian Country. Many tribal police departments do not systematically collect data due to lack of resources: understaffing, funds, data collection systems, and analysis software. Crime victims are hesitant to report victimization due to the distrust of law enforcement, fear of retaliation, and the perception that law enforcement is not effective. Furthermore, American Indians are a difficult population to reach with current data collection methods. Many Native Americans live in geographically isolated locations, making it difficult to include them in samples. It is also difficult to obtain a representative sample because of the cultural diversity between tribes. Nonetheless, there are some data available that suggest victimization in Indian Country warrants serious attention.

The Supplementary Homicide Report (SHR) from the Uniform Crime Reporting Program provides information on crimes that result in a death. Results from a recent report found that over a 23-year period (1976–1999), an estimated 2,469 American Indians were murdered. Consistent with other racial groups, males comprised the majority of the victims. However, there was a notable difference. African Americans and Whites were more likely to be murdered by someone of the same race, but American Indians were more likely to be murdered by someone of a different race. While informative, the SHR provides detailed information only on homicides, and it does not distinguish between Natives who live on and off the reservation.

The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) collects information on violent crimes including rape, sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated and [Page 852]simple assault for persons 12 and older. Compared to the SHR, the NCVS provides a more complete picture of victimization, although it also does not distinguish between Natives who live on and off the reservation. Based on data over a 9-year period (1992–2001), American Indians accounted for approximately 1.3% of all victims of violence, but they represented only .5% of the sample. This translates into approximately 1 violent crime for every 10 residents age 12 or older. Compared with both African Americans (1 out of 20) and Whites (1 out of 25), Natives in this sample were victimized at an alarming rate. American Indians were more than twice as likely as Whites, African Americans, and Asians to experience a sexual assault or rape, aggravated assault, and simple assault. Robbery was the sole violent crime for which American Indians were victimized at a rate more similar to African Americans, although it was still double what it was for Whites and Asians.

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