About the poverty: When I was in college in the mid-90s, I went on spring break work trips to the Rosebud reservation, and they cited a 90% adult male alcoholism rate.
I volunteered with the Habitat chapter near there. They could not build on the res because any houses under construction would be stripped of their copper wire and plumbing before they could be completed. What they really need is a big employer to set up shop there: rising tide floating all boats, etc.
The casinos on some reservations have had a positive impact. At least there is a good employer in the area for those wanting a regular life. In my opinion (as an outsider) the best thing for them is to go to college off the reservation.
You want to explain that, particularly the genetic component?
These studies are not really about one genetic condition that causes alcoholism, but genes or combinations that provide higher odds of immunity.
There is an a gene more dominant in parts of Asia that increases short term side effects for alcohol, reducing alcoholism.
Europe is suspected to have similar changes through genes that are less compatible with alcoholism dominating over others that might be better for most things, but not for the pickle that was the middle ages.
And no, it's not an excuse to give up on them, just a hurdle that needs to be overcome.
This doesn't pass any sniff test I can think of.
The life expectancy for males in the county (whole reservation) is 71-72 years. If 50% are dying in their "stupid nearly adult years" they are going to have to have bunch living past 100 to bring the average up.
It's a few acres of prairie with some buildings that need to be torn down. I'm not up to date on land prices in western SD, but I can't imagine good pasture land is worth more than $2k/acre, even with the surge in beef prices recently.
It's also worth noting that the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Indian Reservations are located in the poorest counties in America. I've visited a couple times and it really is striking that such poverty exists in America. The one stat I can remember from a volunteer trip several years ago was that an 18 yr old boy had a <50% chance of living to 25. When I was in high school we would play football and basketball games there on occasion - our bus always had police escorts in and out of town.