Indigenous …show more content…
Congress has made it difficult for tribal authorities to prosecute perpetrators as they have “prohibited tribal courts from trying non-Indian suspects and limiting the custodial sentences which tribal courts can impose for any one offense to 1 year” (Amnesty, 8). One year pales in comparison to the 8-12 years in U.S. state or federal courts. If the consequences do not deter criminal action, violence against indigenous women will continue - fostering itself into a vicious cycle of abuse against women, while perpetrators run free. Furthermore, jurisdictional issues complicate the process of investigating and prosecuting these crimes. The current system involves varying authorities between tribal, state, and federal governments. Because of jurisdictional issues, many law enforcement officials spend more time determining whether they can investigate the crime versus trying to solve the crime. The system cannot remain the