Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said he will develop a plan to address high rates of crime in Indian Country.

Salazar, a former attorney general from Colorado, told the Associated Press that he will review law enforcement and determine what resources are available. He expects to collaborate with the Department of Justice and tribes to implement the plan, which he hopes to have in place by the end of the year.

"This is a pressing enough issue that it is one of those first-tier issues for us," Salazar said in an interview with the AP.

According to DOJ reports, American Indians and Alaska Natives are more likely to be victims of crime than any other racial or ethnic group in the country.

Get the Story:
Interior Secretary Vows Solution to Indian Crime (AP 3/22)

Relevant Documents:
Draft: Tribal Law and Order Act (February 2009)

Related Stories:
Indian Affairs Committee draft of law and order bill (2/27)
Salazar pledges Indian focus at Interior Department (1/29)