Keith Skunkcap News Today

At least 19 people have died in tribal jails overseen by the federal government since 2016, according to an investigation by NPR and the Mountain West News

The National Congress of American Indians has urged the federal government to place medical personnel in its tribal jails, arguing that the current situation "exacerbates the already challenging problem of health disparities for American Indians."

At least 19 people have died since 2016 in tribal detention centers overseen by Indian Affairs, our investigation found. Several died after correctional officers failed to provide proper medical care.

There have been at least 19 deaths in Bureau of Indian Affairs detention centers in the last five years. Many of the victims had been arrested for petty crimes and were awaiting trial when they died.

Indian Affairs Promised To Reform Tribal Jails. We Found Death, Neglect And Disrepair By Nate Hegyi  June 10, 2021 This story was supported by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. When police took Carlos Yazzie to jail on the Navajo Nation in New Mexico after his arrest on a bench warrant in January 2017, he needed immediate medical attention. His foot was swollen and his blood alcohol content was nearly six times the legal limit. But law enforcement decided that he was fine, jail records ...