Native Americans live in some of the worst
housing conditions in the country.
40 percent of reservation housing is considered
substandard living conditions, with a third of
said homes being overcrowded by Native
families. Sewage is a pressing issue for these
families, as less than 50 percent of homes are
connected to public sewer systems and a low
rate of 16 percent lack indoor plumbing.
Many of these families live in low-valued
homes that lack a telephone line and pay up to
30 percent of their income just for housing
mortgages.
These people are supposed to be protected and
cared for by the government via the Bureau of
Indian Affairs. Yet a significant portion of the
population is living in subpar conditions due to
poverty.
Housing
Native
Americans
While other European explorers have
previously landed in the Americas,
Christopher Columbus has been
acknowledged as the individual to spark the
mass movement of Europeans over to the
Americas when he first landed in the
Caribbean in 1492.
Prior to his arrival, the region was home to
millions of Native Americans, who lived in
different tribes that were scattered across the
continent. These self-governing tribes
conducted in subsistence agriculture, a trade
network between different tribes, and had
complex societies.
Since Columbus’ arrival to the region, the
lifestyle of Native Americans have drastically
worsened over the centuries in terms of living
conditions, employment opportunities, and
relationship with the law enforcement.
Historical Background Name & Period

Factors Contributing to
Native American Issues
• Failure of the US government to
uphold treaty agreements and
prevent exploitation  Native
poverty
 Enabled displacement of Natives from
valuable land and onto current
reservations
 Government funding for reservations
hardly trickles down to the Natives
• Historical racial stereotypes as
savages  discrimination in social
institutions
 More likely to gain low-wage jobs
 Higher rates of unemployment
 More likely to be arrested or killed by law
enforcement
In the end…
The presence of Europeans in the Americas
post-Columbus’ arrival led to the colonization
of Native territory and eventually became a
nation for former European settlers. Said
nation was founded on social institutions that
would enact barriers to prevent Native
Americans from being treated as equals or gain
the same opportunities for governance and
elevation of socioeconomic status.
Conclusion
While the law enforcement is meant
to protect the citizens of the nation,
Native Americans are the exception to
this purpose.
Native Americans have the highest
incarceration rate in the country, with
38 percent more incarcerations than
the national average. They also have
the highest death rates by police at 17.1
per million people, versus the national
average of 1.2 per million people. They
spend on average more time serving
sentences than other ethnic groups.
Employment opportunities are in abundance
These high rates of incarcerations,
in the nation, as unemployment rates are at all
police killings, and the time served is
all-time low and employers are scrambling to
concerning, considering Native
hire new workers. Yet Native Americans
American groups as a whole make up
continue to be one of the groups with the
1.3 percent of the nation’s population
highest unemployment rates in America.
Native Americans have the lowest rates of
unemployment (9.4%) compared to the
general population (4.3%). Even when they do
have jobs, the average household income is
$35,062, which places them on the lower end of
the socioeconomic ladder. The high
unemployment rates and the low income levels
has led to high poverty rates amongst this
ethnic group, as many struggle to afford living
expenses.
Criminal Statistics Economics