This study investigates how political violence interacts with federal-state relations across the American West.

Data & Methods — Analyzed legislative records, sheriff department documents, and news reports from 1980-2020; employed qualitative analysis alongside quantitative metrics.

Key Findings — Sheriff-run prisons show stark regional variations in incarceration rates despite federal law mandates; state legislatures increasingly push back against federal policies through localized enforcement actions.

Why It Matters — The findings suggest that while federalism creates legal frameworks, localized political tensions can override national policies — creating a complex reality on the ground.