Reported cases of missing Indigenous people in Nebraska have nearly doubled—from 23 in 2020 to 43 in 2024. Those figures come roughly five years after the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) was tasked with studying and producing recommendations to curb the disproportionate rate at which Indigenous children and women go missing. Officials believe the increased number of missing Indigenous people reveals a more accurate picture of the crisis, one stemming from NSP efforts to include race in missing persons reports. Although critics question why the agency’s landmark study—on which other states have modeled theirs—has seen few recommended actions implemented, others say change is happening. “Progress is not as fast as I would always like it to be, but I do believe we are making progress,” said Judi gaiashkibos, a citizen of the Ponca Tribe and director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs, which worked with the NSP on the report.
