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Anonymous
Anonymous asked in Politics & GovernmentPolitics · 1 decade ago

Is it true that native american reservations have a lot of drug dealing?

One of my friends from a small town in upstate new york lives near a native american reservation and when she visited it, apparently there was rampant drug dealing everywhere with an especially large number of meth labs. As a matter of fact, she said that her town was flooded with many drugs from the indian reservations and the city government would not investigate since a controversy would occur if the government investigated this reservation for drugs.

I thought reservations were mainly places to gamble at casinos.

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    States do not have the authority to enter or conduct investigations on Indian reservations unless invited by the tribal council.

    I live on the west coast. Several of the larger tribes out here have their own police departments and are doing their best to fight the drug and alcohol problems of their tribes. There are also meth labs and marijuana farms in the national forests here. People will find ways to supply the demand.

  • 1 decade ago

    Wow! Every time I turn around I run smack into ignorance. Not one of you have a correct answer without some bias.

    Just because one reservation has rampant drug dealing, doesn't mean they all do. Mine doesn't, there are no meth labs here or people standing around on corners selling it. We also don't have government approved drugs for any purpose (as someone stated), and the FEDS absolutely have the power to come onto reservations and take any drug dealer they pleased (as another stated they couldn't). Don't stereotype us all.

    Source(s): Oglala Sioux
  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    just because one reservation is like that doesn't mean they all are. they are generally pretty peaceful and welcoming because they are trying to preserve their culture. most reservations don't even have casinos anymore because of the economy. the only reason why they had them in the first place is because the u.s. government took their land away and stuck them in the shittiest land they could find. they can't grow crops, so they build casinos. again, not all of them have casinos. it's a stereotype. and if they do have casinos, that is the casino i'd visit because they deserve money after what america has done to them.

    edit: there are some drugs that some tribes use during certian ceremonies, but they are approved by the government as long as you are in the tribe and are using it for the purpose the tribe intends. examples of states who allow this would be new mexico. it's not like they are gangbanging around or anything.

  • ?
    Lv 4
    5 years ago

    approximately 70% of all enrolled natives stay off the reservation. places like chicago and long island city have somewhat great populations of community people living there. in spite of this, you do no longer could sense embarrassment approximately having an area ancestor, yet till you're a citizen of an area usa you're no longer community your self, purely a descendant.

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  • 1 decade ago

    That's the stupidest propaganda ever conceived. What Bullshyt!!!

    Reservations fall under Federal, State and Tribal jurisdiction. Depending on the situation the State may have jurisdiction exclusive of federal and tribal jurisdiction. For the most part reservations fall under "Federal Jurisdiction".

    689 Jurisdictional Summary

    http://www.justice.gov/usao/eousa/foia_reading_roo...

    Federal Laws have stricter enforcement, greater penalties and longer jail time than does the State. The FBI regularly is involved on reservations in matters of criminal law. How many times is the FBI involve in the infractions of those who break state laws. Never.

    ----------

    Native Americans pay the price of falling under Federal law by receiving stiffer penalties and longer jail times then other Americans receive under State law.

    The incarceration rate of Native Americans is 38% higher than the national rate.

    The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights attributes this higher rate to differential treatment by the criminal justice system, lack of access to adequate counsel and racial profiling.

    Law enforcement agents arrest American Indians at twice the rate of the greater U.S. population for violent and property crimes.

    On average, American Indians receive longer sentences than non-Indians for similar crimes. They also tend to serve longer time in prison for their sentences than non-Native Americans.

    http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/native-americans-a...

    ---------------------

    Given the extent of the multiple jurisdictions, reservations would be the last place to conduct any major criminal activity.

    This question is simply another attempt of using propaganda to complain about how privileged Native Americans are.

    .

  • 1 decade ago

    Indian (Native American) reservations were designed by our federal government. Most state and local authorities don't want to get in a pissing contest with the Feds. It's easier to ignore than to confront.

  • 1 decade ago

    A lot does occur because there are less maneuvers the government can do to limit such activity in the region so they become popular for illegal acts such as drug brewing and distribution.

    Mainly it's just that when you give a free zone (relatively speaking) for an otherwise unwanted activity, there will be a tendency for it to gather at the region.

  • 1 decade ago

    If you are born in America, that makes you native to American, and by definition a native American.

    If you mean American Indians, then I would have to say no. You site one example based on what a friend told you. Sorry, but that does not equal a problem with all of the reservations even if it is true of the one your friend is talking about.

  • Rampant drug dealing? Try a hospital. People get addicted and die from prescribed painkillers every year. Many of these people could have been prescribed marijuana which is not physically addicting nor fatal.

  • 1 decade ago

    It is utterly astounding to me that all this seems to be news to you. Jaw-droppingly astounding.

    God, are people honestly this naive and clueless these days? I blame video games. You should put down the controller, go out, get some fresh air and familiarize yourself with the world in which you live.

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