Strides against reservation violence

[Thunderwolf, MSN, RN]

One year after the soaring crime rate on the Ute Mountain Ute reservation made headlines, tribal leaders and law enforcement officials say they have taken unprecedented steps to curb violence, even if progress has been slow.

The tribal council has notified the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs that the tribe wants to take over its own court system, a move that will allow for stiffer penalties and fines for offenders.

More than 100 area law enforcement officers have been deputized to enforce the law on the reservation, and efforts are under way to provide better treatment for people addicted to alcohol and drugs - problems that have long plagued this area of southwest Colorado.

And perhaps most notably, tribal officials and area police are working together in ways never before seen.

"The attention has been positive," said U.S. Attorney for Colorado Troy Eid, who pronounced the Ute Mountain Ute reservation the murder capital of Colorado 13 months ago.

"I think most exciting is that we've redefined what's possible in the eyes of people in Southwest Colorado and others who said nothing would ever change there," Eid said.

But change won't happen overnight. The reservation, anchored by the town of Towaoc and home to about 2,000 people, still saw its share of arsons, domestic violence, drunken-driving deaths and killings this past year.

Full article: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jan/17/strides-against-reservation-violence/