For decades, Indigenous communities have faced a staggering and underreported crisis, with approximately 4,200 missing and murdered cases involving American Indian and Alaska Native people, and most remaining unsolved.
In 2016 alone, there were 5,712 reports of missing Indigenous women and girls, though national databases recorded only a fraction of those cases.
Violence rates on reservations are up to 10 times higher than the national average, and homicide ranks among the top causes of death for Indigenous women aged 1 to 45, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Indian Affairs. Over 84 percent of Indigenous women and 81 percent of Indigenous men have experienced violence at some point in their lives.
Despite some progress since the U.S. Department of the Interior created the Missing and Murdered Unit in 2021, only a small portion of cases have seen closure. There are over 4,300 open federal cases involving Indigenous Americans, yet a lack of funding, poor data coordination, and other issues continue to hamper investigations.
This is where innovative technology like SeeItSendIt.com can help. The platform offers a mobile and web-based emergency reporting and coordination system designed to support law enforcement, tribal agencies, and community volunteers. Community alert networks allow rapid distribution of missing-person information, real-time updates, geotagged tip submission, and public sharing to crowdsource local sightings.
Applying such capabilities to Indigenous cases could help narrow the gap between thousands of unresolved cases and timely investigation. A See It Send It-style system enables the upload of photos, last seen locations, and descriptions, while also coordinating volunteer watch efforts.
Alerts can be distributed via SMS, email, or app notifications to people within targeted areas, similar to turquoise alert systems currently used in several western states to focus on Indigenous communities.
By combining structured data with community networks, this technology helps surface leads much faster than traditional channels.
Just as other systems empower volunteers to report sightings of missing persons with children, See It Send It could play a similar role in Indigenous communities that harness grassroots connections to make investigations more responsive and visible.
The impact is vitally needed in America’s Indigenous communities. Imagine families getting reassurance when case updates go public, local volunteers could contribute, and law enforcement would gain better tips and reduced lag between report and response.
These changes could boost the odds of safely finding someone long before the critical 24-hour window closes.
Addressing the crisis of thousands of missing Indigenous people requires more than good intentions. It demands tools built to withstand modern demands.
With the large number of unsolved cases across the U.S., technology like See It Send It can help bridge gaps, increase community involvement, and strengthen accountability in investigations.
Every new tip, shared alert, and early report could mean the difference between tragedy and resolution.
For more about See It Send It, visit SeeItSendIt.com.
In 2016 alone, there were 5,712 reports of missing Indigenous women and girls, though national databases recorded only a fraction of those cases.
Violence rates on reservations are up to 10 times higher than the national average, and homicide ranks among the top causes of death for Indigenous women aged 1 to 45, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Indian Affairs. Over 84 percent of Indigenous women and 81 percent of Indigenous men have experienced violence at some point in their lives.
Despite some progress since the U.S. Department of the Interior created the Missing and Murdered Unit in 2021, only a small portion of cases have seen closure. There are over 4,300 open federal cases involving Indigenous Americans, yet a lack of funding, poor data coordination, and other issues continue to hamper investigations.
This is where innovative technology like SeeItSendIt.com can help. The platform offers a mobile and web-based emergency reporting and coordination system designed to support law enforcement, tribal agencies, and community volunteers. Community alert networks allow rapid distribution of missing-person information, real-time updates, geotagged tip submission, and public sharing to crowdsource local sightings.
Applying such capabilities to Indigenous cases could help narrow the gap between thousands of unresolved cases and timely investigation. A See It Send It-style system enables the upload of photos, last seen locations, and descriptions, while also coordinating volunteer watch efforts.
Alerts can be distributed via SMS, email, or app notifications to people within targeted areas, similar to turquoise alert systems currently used in several western states to focus on Indigenous communities.
By combining structured data with community networks, this technology helps surface leads much faster than traditional channels.
Just as other systems empower volunteers to report sightings of missing persons with children, See It Send It could play a similar role in Indigenous communities that harness grassroots connections to make investigations more responsive and visible.
The impact is vitally needed in America’s Indigenous communities. Imagine families getting reassurance when case updates go public, local volunteers could contribute, and law enforcement would gain better tips and reduced lag between report and response.
These changes could boost the odds of safely finding someone long before the critical 24-hour window closes.
Addressing the crisis of thousands of missing Indigenous people requires more than good intentions. It demands tools built to withstand modern demands.
With the large number of unsolved cases across the U.S., technology like See It Send It can help bridge gaps, increase community involvement, and strengthen accountability in investigations.
Every new tip, shared alert, and early report could mean the difference between tragedy and resolution.
For more about See It Send It, visit SeeItSendIt.com.
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