QUESTIONS REGARDING AMERICAN INDIAN CRIMINALITY

• NCJ Number: 66087
• Journal: Human Organization Volume: 23 Dated: (1964) Pages: 61-66
• Author(s): O STEWART
• Date Published: 1964
• Length: 6 pages
• Grant Number(s): 3M-9156
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: THIS PAPER WAS DELIVERED AT THE MEETING OF THE AAAS (AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCE) AND AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CRIMINOLOGY, DENVER, COLORADO, 1961

Annotation

THIS ARTICLE ANALYZES IN DETAIL THE CRIME RATES OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN POPULATION BY COMPARING THEM WITH THE CRIME RATES OF OTHER GROUPS.

Abstract

IN 1960, FOR THE NATION AS A WHOLE, THE RATE OF INDIAN CRIMINALITY PER 100,000 POPULATION WAS 7 TIMES THAT OF THE NATIONAL AVERAGE, WHILE THE INDIAN RATE FOR ALL ARRESTS WAS NEARLY 3 TIMES THAT OF BLACKS AND 8 TIMES THAT OF WHITES. DRUNKENNESS ACCOUNTED FOR 71 PERCENT OF ALL INDIAN ARRESTS DURING THAT YEAR, WHILE THE NUMBER OF INDIAN ARRESTS FOR ALL ALCOHOL-RELATED CRIMES WAS 12 TIMES GREATER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE AND OVER 5 TIMES THAT OF BLACKS. THE RATE OF ARRESTS FOR ALL SUSPECTED CRIMES FOR THE NATION WAS 4 TIMES HIGHER FOR URBAN CENTERS THAN FOR RURAL AREAS, BUT FOR INDIANS THE URBAN RATE WAS 24 TIMES THAT OF THE RURAL. THE INDIAN RATE FOR ALCOHOL-RELATED OFFENSES IN URBAN AREAS WAS ABOUT 37 TIMES THE WHITE RATE AND 15 TIMES THE BLACK RATE. IN THE MID-1950'S, BOTH JICARILLA APACHE AND NAVAHO REPORTED TRIBAL COURT CASES AT RATES MORE THAN DOUBLE THE NATIONAL RATES FOR ALL ARRESTS. ALCOHOL WAS BLAMED FOR THE MAJORITY OF CRIMES ON THE RESERVATIONS AND FOR OVER HALF OF INDIAN JUVENILE CRIMES. ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES DEALING WITH INDIANS REPORTED INDIAN CRIMINALITY RATES MUCH HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGES AND THOSE FOR OTHER MINORITY GROUPS. INDIAN CRIMES RATES WERE ALSO HIGHER FOR NONALCOHOL-RELATED CRIMES. A SOUTH DAKOTA REPORT LISTED THE FOLLOWING AS SOME OF THE POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: (1) MORE INDIAN WOMEN THAN WHITE WOMEN WERE ARRESTED; (2) INDIAN OFFENDERS ARE YOUNGER, LESS EDUCATED, MORE FREQUENTLY REPEATERS, AND LESS APT TO AVOID IMPRISONMENT THAN NON-INDIANS; AND (3) SOME OFFICERS AND COURTS SEEM TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST INDIANS. MOREOVER, INDIANS HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO UNUSUAL CONDITIONS SUCH AS ALCOHOL PROHIBITION AND EXTERNAL CONTROL OF THEIR OWN FUNDS AND LANDS. TABLES ARE INCLUDED. (JLF)