In February 1973, approximately 250 Native American supporters of the American Indian Movement (AIM) took over the village of Wounded Knee, South Dakota, on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The occupation ended after 71 days on May 8, when the AIM turned over its arms and consented to a peaceful apprehension by law enforcement.

Throughout the standoff, CRS mediated between those occupying Wounded Knee and the law enforcement agencies surrounding the site, including the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Police. CRS kept negotiations open when it appeared that a peaceful resolution was impossible. The occupation resulted in a CRS-arranged meeting between White House officials and the traditional chiefs and headmen of the Sioux tribe to discuss issues including treaties and the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934.

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