Bill Overview
Title: BADGES for Native Communities Act
Description: This bill revises federal policies and procedures related to information sharing, reporting, and investigating cases of missing, unidentified, or murdered Indians. Among other elements, the bill requires the Department of Justice to (1) establish a grant program for specified entities (e.g., tribes) to implement changes to enhance their responses to missing person cases and death investigations of interest to tribes, and (2) work with the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that federal training resources and culturally appropriate mental health and wellness programs are available to tribal and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) law enforcement officers experiencing occupational stress. The Department of the Interior must establish a five-year demonstration program for the purpose of conducting or adjudicating personnel background investigations for applicants for law enforcement positions in the BIA. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct specified studies, including a study on the evidence collection, handling, and processing procedures and practices of federal law enforcement agencies.
Sponsors: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
Target Audience
Population: Native American communities, including tribal populations and law enforcement personnel
Estimated Size: 10000000
- The bill focuses on missing, unidentified, or murdered Indians, which directly points to Native American communities as the primary population.
- The establishment of a grant program for tribes suggests that tribal governments and organizations will be significant stakeholders.
- The involvement of tribal and BIA law enforcement implies impact on law enforcement personnel working in Native American contexts.
- The execution of culturally appropriate mental health and wellness programs indicates a targeted need within Native American law enforcement communities.
Reasoning
- The policy is directed towards enhancing safety and response to missing and murdered Indigenous persons, which would greatly impact Native American communities and law enforcement personnel working with these communities.
- Given the scope of the bill, it's important to acknowledge that many Native Americans live in tribal territories where the policy would have direct influence.
- There are significant limitations due to budget constraints, so the policy may not reach all intended communities immediately.
- Law enforcement officers working within tribal areas are likely to experience improved working conditions and support, resulting in potentially higher self-reported wellbeing scores.
Simulated Interviews
Tribal police officer (Navajo Nation, Arizona)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy would provide the much-needed resources for our community's police force.
- Occupational stress can be overwhelming, but mental health support could make my job more manageable.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Community leader (Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hopeful that federal assistance will bring improvements; it's needed.
- The grant program can enable us to be more proactive in our responses.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Social worker (Urban area, California)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policies like these offer hope for addressing critical issues in our communities.
- Better data sharing could drastically improve case handling and outcomes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
BIA law enforcement officer (Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Officer safety is paramount, and having mental health resources is crucial.
- Standardizing procedures will aid in effective case management.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
Educator (Urban area, Minneapolis)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The safety of students and their families is of utmost importance.
- Enhanced safety measures can ease the community's fears.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Retired (Rural area, Montana)
Age: 61 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Providing resources for wellness programs is a step in the right direction.
- There should be more efforts made to address systemic issues.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Graduate student (Urban area, Denver)
Age: 25 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 20/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Increased data collection will aid my research and understanding.
- There is potential for significant positive change if implementation is effective.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Journalist (Anchorage, Alaska)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The bill could facilitate transparency and data integrity.
- Ensuring safe communities is imperative for positive reporting.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Law student (Neah Bay, Washington)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Efforts to build infrastructure for law enforcement are crucial for justice.
- Legal improvements will support advocates' work.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Farmer (Rural area, New Mexico)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- These changes could stabilize our region and improve safety.
- Support for law enforcement and community programs will be beneficial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $15000000 (Low: $12000000, High: $18000000)
Year 2: $16000000 (Low: $13000000, High: $19000000)
Year 3: $17000000 (Low: $14000000, High: $20000000)
Year 5: $18000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $21000000)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The policy aims to address long-standing issues in Native American law enforcement and community safety.
- The success of the grant and training programs depends heavily on engagement with tribal authorities and effective implementation at the local level.
- Potential long-term positive effects on community well-being must be weighed against the initial cost outlays.