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Tribally operated law enforcement agencies provide a broad range of public safety services such as responding to calls for service, investigating crimes, enforcing traffic laws, executing arrest warrants, serving process, providing court security, and conducting search and rescue operations. Findings are based on the 2008 Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
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Tribal Crime Data-Collection Activities, 2020
Describes activities by the Bureau of Justice Statistics to collect and improve data on crime and justice in Indian country, including data-collection programs and activities during 2020. |
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Full report (PDF 550K) | Data tables (Zip format)
Part of the Tribal Crime Data Collection Activities Series
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Tribal Crime Data Collection Activities, 2015
Describes Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) activities to collect and improve data on crime and justice in Indian country, as required by the Tribal Law and Order Act, 2010. |
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Summary (PDF 205KB) | Full report (PDF 790KB) | ASCII file (37KB) | Comma-delimited format (csv) (Zip format 6KB)
Part of the Tribal Crime Data Collection Activities Series
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Tribal Crime Data Collection Activities, 2013
Describes Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) activities to collect and improve data on crime and justice in Indian country, as required by the Tribal Law and Order Act, 2010. |
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Full report (PDF 888K) | ASCII file (34K) | Comma-delimited format (CSV) (Zip format 23K)
Part of the Tribal Crime Data Collection Activities Series
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Jails in Indian Country, 2011
2,239 INMATES IN INDIAN COUNTRY JAILS IN 2011, UP 5.7 PERCENT FROM 2010 |
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Press Release
Part of the Jails in Indian Country Series
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Compendium of Tribal Crime Data, 2011
Focuses on BJS's existing data on key criminal justice issues in Indian country and addresses gaps in tribal crime data. |
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Jails in Indian Country, 2009
INMATE POPULATION IN INDIAN COUNTRY JAILS INCREASED 1.9 PERCENT IN 2009 |
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Press Release
Part of the Jails in Indian Country Series
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Census of Tribal Justice Agencies in Indian Country, 2002
Presents detailed information gathered on tribal law enforcement agencies, tribal courts and services, and criminal record systems from the 2002 Census of Tribal Justice Agencies in American Indian Jurisdictions. |
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Full report (PDF 337K) | ASCII file (34K) | Spreadsheet (Zip format 60K) | 2002 Census of Tribal Justice Agencies in Indian Country Data File (Spreadsheet 350K)
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Tribal Law Enforcement, 2000
Presents information on the characteristics of tribally operated law enforcement agencies in the United States, including personnel, services, and functions. |
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Full report (PDF 76K) | ASCII file (11K) | ZIP Format (Spreadsheet 11K)
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| Terms & Definitions |
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| Criminal jurisdiction in tribal areas |
Jurisdiction over offenses in Indian country may lie with federal, state, or tribal
agencies, depending on the particular offense, offender, victim, and offense
location. For more information on tribal jurisdiction, see State Prosecutors' Offices with
Jurisdiction in Indian Country, 2007,
Tribal Law Enforcement, 2008,
Census of Tribal Justice Agencies in Indian Country, 2002, and Jails in Indian Country, 2017-2018. |
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| Cross deputization agreements |
Allow law enforcement personnel from state and tribal entities to cross
jurisdictions
in criminal cases. Cross deputization agreements have been used to enhance law
enforcement capabilities in areas where state and tribal lands were contiguous and
intermingled. Under some agreements, federal, state, county/local, and/or tribal law
enforcement officers have the power to arrest Indian and non-Indian wrongdoers
wherever the violation of law occurs. |
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| Public Law 83-280 (commonly referred to as Public Law 280 or P.L. 280) |
Establishes criminal justice responsibilities among American Indian tribes with
tribal land, the states in which tribes are
located, and the federal government. Public Law 280 is mandatory or optional for 204
tribes, about two-thirds of the total
in the lower 48 states. In states where P.L. 280 does not apply, the federal
government retains criminal jurisdiction for
major crimes committed under the Indian Country Crimes Act (18 U.S.C. § 1152), the
Indian Country Major Crimes Act (18
U.S.C. § 1153), and the Assimilative Crimes Act (18 U.S.C. § 13). |
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| Public Law 93-638 |
The Indian Self-Determination Act of 1975 affords tribes the opportunity to provide
for their own police departments and other institutional services through federal
grants and contracts. |
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| Tribal police powers |
Authority to exercise criminal jurisdiction over all tribal members and the authority
to arrest and detain non-Indians for delivery to state or federal authorities for
prosecution. These tribal police powers are generally limited to tribal lands. |
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