Crimes committed on reservations receive harsher penalties

Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
This Sept. 9, 2012, file photo shows the entrance to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, home to the Oglala Sioux tribe.
Kristi Eaton | AP 2012

Native Americans who commit serious crimes on reservations are prosecuted under federal law. The problem is, most state courts will tend to give lighter sentence for the same crime.

Professor Sarah Deer and attorney Andrew Adams III joined the program to discuss why that is and the repercussions.

To listen to the discussion use the audio player above.

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