Report offers roadmap to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office
Oct. 23, 2023
The staff in our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) Office have seen first-hand how devastating it can be when a loved one goes missing or is murdered.
A new report — released to the public in October — has provided us with a roadmap to putting an end to the epidemic of violence. Our MMIR office partnered with Wilder Research in 2022 to conduct a comprehensive, year-long study that examined emerging best practices in cases of missing and murdered Indigenous people, and identified current issues in Minnesota at the federal, state and Tribal levels.
Although they make up less than 1 percent of the population, Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people account for 8 percent of all murder victims in Minnesota.
“Research shows that Indigenous relatives don't always receive an effective or just response from the system when they have gone missing or died under suspicious circumstances," said MMIR Director Juliet Rudie. “Every person deserves the same swift and effective response regardless of their race or other characteristics. That's why this report is so important."
The Wilder Research report helps MMIR prioritize where to focus their efforts as they continue to facilitate and implement the recommendations from the 2020 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Task Force report. It highlights major themes to identify the gaps in the system to report, respond to and offer victims' services in MMIR cases. The report calls on Minnesota to improve the training of law enforcement and other officials to increase the knowledge and use of best practices in investigating missing persons and suspicious deaths cases.
“Over time, Indigenous communities have come to expect unfair treatment, and therefore, they often mistrust law enforcement and experience strained or poor communication during the investigation of their loved one's case," Wilder Research Researcher Nicole MartinRogers said. “This report provides guidance for the MMIR office, law enforcement and related systems about key steps we can take in Minnesota right now to address this injustice."
MMIR will continue to build its partnerships with all government and non-government organizations involved in preventing victimization, investigating cases and supporting families and communities affected by trauma. Through those partnerships with law enforcement, the community and affected families, MMIR will ensure everyone involved takes immediate action when an Indigenous person is missing. This means encouraging Indigenous people to file missing persons reports, along with appropriate and immediate follow-up by law enforcement.
“We consider it a privilege to partner with state agencies, law enforcement, victim service providers and the media in the years to come to incorporate these recommendations with the end goal of responding to MMIR cases swiftly and effectively," Rudie said.
Read the Wilder Research report.
