Crime on tribal lands gets closer scrutiny from federal prosecutors in Minnesota

The U.S. attorney for Minnesota has tripled the number of prosecutors working crimes in Indian Country, while taking on more cases referred from tribal jurisdictions, all against a backdrop of criticism in recent years over the federal response to crimes on tribal land.

The steps underscore a priority that U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald announced on taking the job in June and represent a sharp change for the Minneapolis office. MacDonald said her office has agreed to prosecute 28 of the 32 cases referred this year from four tribes over which it has jurisdiction. Last year, federal prosecutors in Minnesota declined to prosecute more than two-thirds of such cases, according to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Justice.

http://www.startribune.com/crime-on-tribal-lands-gets-closer-scrutiny-from-federal-prosecutors-in-minnesota/501716211/