Addressing the Cold Case Crisis Among Native American Tribes in Arizona
Faculty Mentor Name
Diana Orem, Kelly Crockett
Format Preference
Poster
Abstract
According to reports published by multiple government agencies, there is a disproportionately high number of unsolved missing persons and unsolved murder cases among Native Americans. This appears to be due to several factors: 1) rates of murder, rape, and violent crime are all higher in this population compared to the national average; 2) there appear to be discrepancies in the number of missing persons reported among various agencies which has resulted in underreporting to critical databases, such as the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), which logged a small fraction of the cases reported to the United States Department of Justice; 3) many investigations remain unsolved due to a lack of investigative resources; and 4) there exists a history of mistrust of government agencies due to instances of discrimination and other transgressions against Native Americans. There are many challenges this population faces, many of which stem from a history of being under-served, underfunded, and overlooked. By examining the literature, we can determine where these discrepancies are, both by government agencies and by unofficial databases. We can also determine ways in which the government has attempted to address this crisis and why these have fallen short. By examining the history, we can determine how both generational and historical trauma have influenced certain aspects of this crisis. Approaching this through the lens of forensic psychology and in conjunction with tribal perspectives is one way to attempt to work through the trust and credibility problem.
Addressing the Cold Case Crisis Among Native American Tribes in Arizona
According to reports published by multiple government agencies, there is a disproportionately high number of unsolved missing persons and unsolved murder cases among Native Americans. This appears to be due to several factors: 1) rates of murder, rape, and violent crime are all higher in this population compared to the national average; 2) there appear to be discrepancies in the number of missing persons reported among various agencies which has resulted in underreporting to critical databases, such as the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), which logged a small fraction of the cases reported to the United States Department of Justice; 3) many investigations remain unsolved due to a lack of investigative resources; and 4) there exists a history of mistrust of government agencies due to instances of discrimination and other transgressions against Native Americans. There are many challenges this population faces, many of which stem from a history of being under-served, underfunded, and overlooked. By examining the literature, we can determine where these discrepancies are, both by government agencies and by unofficial databases. We can also determine ways in which the government has attempted to address this crisis and why these have fallen short. By examining the history, we can determine how both generational and historical trauma have influenced certain aspects of this crisis. Approaching this through the lens of forensic psychology and in conjunction with tribal perspectives is one way to attempt to work through the trust and credibility problem.