Abstract

The purpose of this study is to understand if a cultural values- and identity-based construct is relevant to understanding tribal community members when they decide to respond to violations of community mores and norms of conduct when such arise.  Data from the Southern Ute Indian Community Safety Survey, a USDOJ-sponsored study of crime and violence in one rural Native American Indian tribal community were used to create two new constructs for understanding tribal community behavior.  Using principal component factor and linear regression analyses, it was found that either a Native American Indian identity- or a cultural values-based construct are well-suited to understanding deviance and responses to such within tribal populations.  Implications of this study may help realign the paradigm of community research.