NIJ’s Tribal Justice Research Portfolio aims to provide an understanding of the violence and victimization experienced by American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) persons and to identify barriers and potential solutions for combating these public safety and public health issues.
American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) men and women experience higher rates of intimate partner violence in their lifetime than non-AI/AN men and women, and they go missing at a higher rate than non-AI/AN persons.[1] In addition, AI/AN youth are disproportionately incarcerated and overrepresented in out-of-home care (e.g., foster care) compared to non-AI/AN youth.[2] The root causes and consequences of the violence and victimization experienced by AI/AN persons include socioeconomic challenges (e.g., high rates of poverty, limited access to education and employment), substance abuse, health disparities (e.g., limited access to quality mental and health care), intergenerational/historical trauma, and jurisdictional issues that make AI/AN persons vulnerable.
Research and evaluation on violence and victimization of AI/AN persons, specifically women, is authorized under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). This research focuses on the types of violence experienced by AI/AN women, including dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, stalking, homicide, and missing or murdered indigenous persons, along with the federal, state, local, and tribal government and justice system response and its effectiveness. NIJ’s Tribal Justice Research Portfolio extends beyond VAWA’s focus on violence and victimization experienced by AI/AN women and girls and includes research and evaluation on violence and victimization experienced by all AI/AN persons, including men and boys.
Research and evaluation on violence and victimization of AI/AN persons, specifically women, is authorized under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). This research focuses on the types of violence experienced by AI/AN women, including dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, stalking, homicide, and missing or murdered indigenous persons, along with the federal, state, local, and tribal government and justice system response and its effectiveness. NIJ’s Tribal Justice Research Portfolio extends beyond VAWA’s focus on violence and victimization experienced by AI/AN women and girls and includes research and evaluation on violence and victimization experienced by all AI/AN persons, including men and boys.
Research Priority 1: Violence experienced by AI/AN persons.
| Number | Question |
|---|---|
| Research Question 1.1 | How are the various forms of violence and victimization experienced by AI/AN persons affected by the consequences of intergenerational/historical trauma from federal policies? |
| Research Question 1.2 | How are the violence and victimization experienced by AI/AN persons affected by socioeconomic challenges, such as high poverty rates and limited access to quality education and employment? |
| Research Question 1.3 | How are the violence and victimization experienced by AI/AN persons affected by health disparities, such as limited access to mental health services, culturally appropriate counseling, and quality healthcare? |
Research Priority 2: Factors affecting the safety and well-being of AI/AN persons.
| Number | Question |
|---|---|
| Research Question 2.1 | How do jurisdictional differences, including the location where crimes are committed (e.g., a PL 280 state), affect justice outcomes for AI/AN persons? |
| Research Question 2.2 | How do patterns of violence experienced by AI/AN persons in urban settings differ from those in other settings, and how can outreach programs connect them with the resources they need? |
| Research Question 2.3 | Do protective factors rooted in Indigenous culture and community life help build resilience and reduce the risk of violence? |
Priority 3: Research and evaluation of victim support services in tribal communities and/or for AI/AN victims.
| Number | Question |
|---|---|
| Research Question 3.1 | What factors influence AI/AN persons’ use of victim support services? |
| Research Question 3.2 | What alternatives to criminal justice interventions are available for AI/AN victims? What is the efficacy of those interventions? |
| Research Question 3.3 | What factors influence the availability of victim support services in tribal communities? |
Priority 4: Research and evaluation on AI/AN youth justice.
| Number | Question |
|---|---|
| Research Question 4.1 | What violence prevention and intervention programs are available for AI/AN youth in school and community settings? How effective are those programs? |
| Research Question 4.2 | What types of violence do AI/AN youth experience in their communities and in tribal K–12 schools? |
| Research Question 4.3 | What is the prevalence and what are the outcomes for system-involved AI/AN youth (e.g., foster care, juvenile justice system)? |
Priority 5: Capacity-building research with tribes.
| Number | Question |
|---|---|
| Research Question 5.1 | What are some key concerns that a tribal community would like to address by partnering with a non-tribal entity? |
| Research Question 5.2 | How can a tribal–researcher partnership help strengthen a tribal community’s ability to understand and address issues of violence experienced by AI/AN persons? |
Reports -
- Identifying the Scope and Context of Missing and/or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) in New Mexico and Improving MMIP Data Collection, Analysis, and Reporting
- A Descriptive Analysis of Missing and Murdered Native Women and Children in Nebraska, Barriers to Reporting and Investigation, and Recommendations for Improving Access to Justice
- Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Men: 2010 Findings from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey
Datasets -
- A Descriptive Analysis of Missing and Murdered Native Women and Children in Nebraska, Barriers to Reporting and Investigation, and Recommendations for Improving Access to Justice
- Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Men: 2010 Findings from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey
- Effective Methods to Assess Exposure to Violence and Victimization Among American Indian and Alaska Native Youth: The Tribal Youth Victimization Study (TYVS), United States, 2019
Use the links below to find additional information and resources related to tribal justice.