30 UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS' B ULLETIN J ULY 2010 VIII. Conclusion The investigation and prosecution of a child sexual abuse case presents unique, difficult, and highly challenging obstacles. Given the heart-wrenching subject matter, few trials in your career will provide more sense of accomplishment when the jury convicts and, conversely, more sense of loss when the jury acquits. These prosecutions take a certain toll on us unlike anything else we prosecute. It is rarely a pleasant experience for anyone involved. In the end, however, the experience can be cathartic for the children because they are given a rare opportunity to say in front of their abuser, their own family, and the court exactly what crime the defendant perpetrated. Win or lose, there is still some value to the child.  ABOUT THE AUTHOR  Gregg S. Peterman has been an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of South Dakota since 1995. In addition to Indian country crime, he prosecutes fraud (investment, tax, entitlement, and agricultural), child pornography, and resource depredation (Lacey Act and ARPA) crimes. a Sex Offender Registration in Indian Country Robert Don Gifford Assistant United States Attorney Western District of Oklahoma A pure hand needs no glove to cover it. Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter (1850) I. Introduction There are 564 federally-recognized Indian tribes and nearly 56 million acres of "Indian country" scattered throughout 33 states in the country. Indian tribes occupy a unique place in the federal system. In 1831, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall coined the term "domestic dependent nations" in describing the unique relationship the United States has with Indian tribes. The Cherokee Nation v. The State of Georgia , 30 U.S. (5 Pet.) 1 (1831). Indian country exists in a variety of forms, ranging from the more common large reservations to checkerboarded trust lands and even to "dependent Indian communities." 18 U.S.C. § 1151(b) (2009). Regardless of the shape or title in which these various forms of Indian country appear, they are often located in rural areas. Unfortunately, many unaccounted for sex offenders may seek refuge and a safe haven in Indian country. There are roughly 600,000 registered sex offenders nationwide. Of them,