In observance of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day, Attorney General Austin Knudsen issued the following statement:

“As a former prosecutor in Indian Country, I understand the gravity of the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people in Montana and have seen how it affects families and communities. As attorney general, I have committed the Department of Justice to doing its part in addressing this important issue.

Native American women and girls are the most susceptible group to human trafficking. Earlier this year, we helped launch a public-private partnership called the Sentinel Project to help address this heinous crime. During the legislative session, we also worked to pass House Bill 35 which establishes the Missing Indigenous Persons Review Commission and House Bill 98 which extends the MMIP Task Force.

These are some of the first steps toward our goal of reducing the number of missing and murdered Indigenous people and bringing perpetrators to justice.”