Indigenous cases often suffer from ineffective investigation and lack of urgency because of structural and bureaucratic issues within law enforcement agencies.

“There is an epidemic of violence against native women that just isn't being prosecuted and investigated effectively and people are getting away with these crimes. There's so many bureaucratic cracks that Native women and girls are not just falling through, but actively pushed through.”

Law enforcement agencies failed to adequately investigate Ashley's disappearance and did not treat the case with the necessary seriousness.

“Black Feet Tribal Law and BIA ignored Ashley's situation and let the investigation move forward very dysfunctionally.”