Geographic Context and Spatial Analysis of Montana's Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons

This project focuses on the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) in the state of Montana, specifically in the geographic and spatial context. In the United States, Indigenous people have long faced discrimination that exposes them to higher rates of violence and a greater likelihood of going missing (Department of Justice, 2016). This study builds upon scholarship within geography and allied social sciences to better understand the geography of missing and murdered Indigenous People in Montana. This study in particular draws on the theoretical underpinnings of ‘cultural cycles’ by linking this concept with relationships to physical environment, culture, colonial history, and systemic violence. The goal of this project is to identify trends in missing and murdered Indigenous persons in Montana, create visualizations to represent people who are actively missing, and identify areas of need for Montana communities.