Data Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics series Jails in Indian Country, 2000-2024. (Graph: Emily Widra, 2026)

This graph originally appeared in New, expanded data on Indian country jails show concerning trends extend to tribal lands.

Jail populations in Indian country — like in jails across the country — were generally trending upward before a sharp decrease during 2020, which was the result of fewer arrests and slowed court processes during the pandemic; they have quickly resumed their upward trajectories in the years since.