Reservation residents provided comments on whether tribal members reported domestic
violence to tribal police or non-tribal police in both Public Law 280 and non-Public Law 280
jurisdictions. The question is open ended, but most respondents answered with a yes, no, or
sometimes, often adding additional comments to explain their viewpoints. Ninety-two Public
Law 280 reservation residents commented on whether tribal members reported incidents of
domestic violence to Public Law 280 tribal police departments. Sixty-five Public Law 280
reservation residents (70.6%) say tribal members report incidents of domestic violence to Public
Law 280 tribal police. Seventeen Public Law 280 reservation-resident respondents (18.5%) say
tribal members do not report domestic violence crimes to tribal police, and 8 (8.7%) say tribal
members sometimes report domestic violence incidents to tribal police. Two respondents
declined to answer the question. Most Public Law 280 reservation-resident respondents say that
tribal members report incidents of domestic violence to tribal police, if they have a tribal police
department.
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This document is a research report submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice. This report has not
been published by the Department. Opinions or points of view expressed are those of the author(s)
and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the U.S.
Department of Justice.
One hundred thirty-eight Public Law 280 reservation residents commented on whether
tribal members report domestic violence incidents to Public Law 280 state/county police, and 38
(27.5%) answered affirmatively. Seventy-two Public Law 280 reservation residents (52.2%) say
that tribal members do not report domestic violence issues to state or county police. Twentythree respondents (16.7%) say tribal members report domestic violence incidents to state/county
police only sometimes, while 5 respondents could not answer the question. Most Public Law
280 reservation residents, slightly more than 50%, say that tribal members are reluctant to report
domestic violence incidents to Public Law 280 state or county police.
Forty-nine non-Public Law 280 reservation residents answered the question, and 31
(63.3%) say tribal members will report domestic violence incidents to non-Public Law 280 tribal
police. Five non-Public Law 280 respondents (10.2%) say that tribal members will not report
domestic violence to non-Public Law 280 tribal police, and 9 respondents (18.4%) say tribal
members sometimes will report domestic violence incidents to tribal police. Four respondents
could not answer the question. Most non-Public Law 280 reservation residents say that tribal
members report domestic violence issues to tribal police.
Thirty-four non-Public Law 280 reservation residents commented on whether tribal
members report domestic violence to non-Public Law 280 federal-BIA police, and 14 of them
(41.1%) affirm tribal members report domestic violence to federal-BIA police.
Nine non-Public
Law 280 reservation residents (26.5%) say tribal members do not report domestic violence to
federal-BIA police, while 9 (26.5%) say tribal members report domestic violence to federal-BIA
police sometimes. Most non-Public Law 280 reservation residents say that tribal members are
reluctant to report domestic violence incidents to federal-BIA police.
If we put the two groups of reservation residents together from Public Law 280 and nonPublic Law 280 jurisdictions, a pattern is evident. Most reservation residents say that tribal
members are willing to report domestic violence incidents to tribal police, but are reluctant to
report domestic violence incidents to non-Public Law 280 federal-BIA police and Public Law
280 county police.
We next investigate jurisdiction and police department effects on the willingness of tribal
members to report to domestic violence incidents to police. According to reservation residents,
does the willingness of tribal members to report domestic violence to police vary by Public Law
280 or non-Public Law 280 jurisdiction, or by tribal or non-tribal police department? The data
lend themselves to a 2x2x2 log-linear analysis for jurisdiction, police department, and domestic
violence crime reporting.
