The Santee Patch is running a three-part series on criminal jurisdiction in Indian Country in California.

Under Public Law 280, the state exercises criminal jurisdiction on reservations. There are some exceptions but most serious crimes committed by Indians and non-Indians are prosecuted in state court.

In San Diego County, which is home to more than a dozen reservations, the district attorney says it has handled about 450 cases of serious crime in Indian Country since 2005. The overwhelming majority of the cases -- 93 percent -- ended in conviction, the deputy district attorney said.

Relations with county authorities haven't always been positive. But District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said the situation has improved in the past decade.

"There's a protocol now. We're communicating," Dumanis told Patch. "We needed to improve communication because the tribes are a vital part of this region."

Part II of the series will focus on government-to-government relations.

Get the Story:
'Awkward Patchwork' of Laws Governs Crime Investigations on Tribal Land (The Santee Patch 12/13)

Related Stories:
DOJ finalizes process to restore role in Public Law 280 state (12/9)