Kevin McCarthy
Race and Ethnicity
Prof. Smith
3 March 2015
Looking at Native American society with a Class and
Socioeconomic Status Lens
Key Words: Poverty, Drugs, Casinos, Unemployment, Self-Governance
Description: The purpose of this issue brief will be to examine the plight of Native
American citizens in regard to their socioeconomic status and social class. The main
topics discussed will include the success and failures of casinos, high rates of drug
use, poverty, and unemployment, and also a push for self-governance within Native
American communities.
Key Points:
-69% poverty rate in Native American communities (CQ Researcher 179)
-Casinos can be a viable money maker, however there are 331 tribes and only 51
own active casinos
-Drug use is heavy, especially Methamphetamines
-Unemployment is at 49 percent, ten times the national average
- The Native American population is largely uneducated compared with the rest of
the US, Twenty percent have less than a 9th grade education
-Self Governance could be a solution to solve many social and economic issues in
Native American communities
Issue Brief:
The status of Native Americans in the United States has been an interesting
issue throughout the history of this country. Since they did not immigrate to the
continent when Europeans and Africans did, they maintained their tribal
sovereignty from the United States, officially labeled today as “domestic dependent
nations”. Currently the Native population is about 2.9 million people, which makes it
a sizable group with diverse needs, that still only represents less than one percent of
the total US population. This means that while the population is not all the same in
terms of social class, education, and status, they have little voting power in the US as
a group.
One constant throughout most Native American populations is steep poverty.
The poverty rate for Native American communities is 69%, a statistic most
Americans believe is only applied to third world countries. Child poverty is also
extremely potent in Native American communities, and families often struggle to
feed their children. Where there is poverty, lack of education can also be a problem
or contributing factor. Most Native Americans are uneducated, with over 20 percent
having never passed the 9th grade. The combination of poverty and lack of education
makes it difficult for these communities to survive, and for Native American citizens
to escape these troublesome conditions. These factors have also lead to a major
decline in population on and off reservations over the last century as many on
reservations fall victim to early deaths from murder, suicide, or overdose.
While the reservation system has preserved some land for Native peoples, it
has also isolated them socially from American life. These social factors combined
with little to no education, have driven unemployment figures for Native American
communities to seemingly insurmountable highs. The unemployment rate is an
unacceptable 49 percent, over ten times more than the national average. As studies
have shown, low income areas with high unemployment are prone to fall victim to
drug use. An epidemic of Methamphetamine usage has struck reservations across
the country, not only damaging the health of communities, but also limiting work
options for those addicted. Those who use the drug do so at a rate double that of
people who do not live on reservations. Alcohol related deaths and teen suicide are
also multiple times higher than national averages for Native American communities,
especially on the reservation. Substance abuse may in fact have a social cause, as
those separated from the rest of society turn to drugs and alcohol when they are
undereducated and unemployed. These problems serve in conjunction with one
another to destroy Native American progress, and limit the growth of their people. It
has relegated them to the lowest social classes of society for the most part, and has
caused the United States government to try and fix the problem.
One attempt to address poverty and unemployment for Native Americans is
the Indian Casino industry. In 2004 the industry brought in almost 20 billion and is
thriving today. The casinos employ large number of Native Americans, but often face
issues when expanding to new communities from neighbors who do not want a
casino next door. Also, despite the success of many casinos, most earn less than 10
million for an entire tribe, limiting the spending they can put into housing and
education. Therefore, although the system has been successful in some cases and
has allowed a select few individuals or tribes to flourish, in no way can it bring an
entire group of people out of poverty.
One issue that has been mentioned in tribal meetings has been a push for self
sufficiency. Many believe that with federal block grants tribes can begin to develop
their own budgets, and address community needs individually. However, the money
is scarce to go around, and only accounts for $2,533 a year per capita health services
for example, less than that of federal prisoners. So while self governance may be a
push in the right direction, more aid will be needed from the federal government
before improvement will be seen in Native communities. It must also be noted that
not all support these measures, as many Native Americans believe that self
governance cannot work. Examples include the lack of strong police forces on
reservations. This allows for jurisdictional disputes with the federal and state
governments and provides an escape for drug traffickers and violent offenders to
remain in Native American communities. Therefore it can be concluded that the
problems facing Native American communities are long lasting and difficult to
change, but must be addressed in order to improve the quality of life and chance at
success for Native Americans.
Per Capita Income of Native Americans in the United States. The average income of
Native Americans on Reservations is less than half of all other American citizens,
and has approached three times as much at certain points in history (Perc.org)
This graph demonstrates the rates of drug use in American communities designated
by race and ethnicity (White House).
This graph illustrates the high unemployment rate for Native Americans. Clearly the
rate of unemployment for Native Americans is much higher than that of any other
race, and has continued to climb in the years since this publication.
Nces.ed.gov
Websites:
http://www.ncai.org
http://www.nber.org/digest/feb03/w9198.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/native-americans-and-alaskan-indians
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2005/nativetrends/images/sFig8.2.gif
Works Cited
Bowler, Shaun, and Gary M. Segura. The Future Is Ours. Thousand Oaks, CA:
CQ/SAGE, 2012. Print.
CQ Researcher. Issues in Race and Ethnicity. Seventh ed. N.p.: Sage, 2015. Print.
Regan, Shawn. "Unlocking the Wealth of Indian Nations: Overcoming
Obstacles to Tribal Energy Development." Unlocking the Wealth of Indian Nations:
Overcoming Obstacles to Tribal Energy Development. Property and Environment
Research Center, n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2015. <http://perc.org/articles/unlockingwealth-indian-nations-overcoming-obstacles-tribal-energy-development>.
"The Social and Economic Impact of Native American Casinos." The Social and
Economic Impact of Native American Casinos. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2015.
<http://www.nber.org/digest/feb03/w9198.html>.