state of alaska department of corrections rural justice commission overview
TRANSCRIPT
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STATE OF ALASKA
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Rural Justice Commission
Overview
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DOC Mission Statement
“The mission of the Department of Corrections is
to protect the public by incarcerating and supervising
offenders.”
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Supporting Strategies
To accomplish its mission the department will:• Respect the rights of victims of crime;• Hold offenders accountable;• Provide offenders with opportunities for
reform in an environment that is safe, fair and secure;
• Provide training to staff so they may serve as positive role models to offenders, while ensuring officer safety.
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• Division of Institutions
• Division of Probation and Parole
• Division Administrative Services
The mission is completed by three divisions and two boards:
• Board of Parole
• Correctional Industries Commission
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Division of Institutions
• 12 Major Institutions in Alaska:
Anchorage Fairbanks
Juneau Ketchikan
Palmer Bethel
Sutton Pt. MacKenzie
Nome Kenai
Seward Eagle River
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Institutions also oversees:
• Arizona contract facility: 750 prisoners
• Community Residential Centers: 700 prisoners
• Electronic Monitoring: 120 prisoners
• Community Jails: 141 prisoners
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The 12 institutions have a maximum capacity of 3206.
Challenge:
The Numbers Game
• System is always at 100% capacity
• 200 more prisoners in 2003-2004
• 40 more prisoners in 2004-2005
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Population Trend
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INCARCERATION RATES
Between 1991 and 1998 incarceration rate rose by 47%, while the overall crime rate dropped by 22%
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Alaska Native Offenders
Offender Origin by Court Case
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Alaska Native Offenders
Length of Time from Admission
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Alaska Native Offenders
Offenses by Class & Sex
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Alaska Native Offenders
Distribution in DOC System
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Alaska Native Offenders
Race vs. Sentence Length
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Probation Officers Supervise 4907 offenders in our communities from 15 field offices:
Division of Probation and Parole:
Anchorage Fairbanks Juneau
Ketchikan Sitka Nome
Bethel Kotzebue Kodiak
Barrow Dillingham Kenai
Palmer
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Probation Officers work for three different entities:
Three Hats:
• Corrections: Supervising Offenders in Communities
• Court System: Presentence Reports
• Parole Board: Supervising Offenders under authority of the Board
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147 new offenders in 2004 – 3.09% Growth• Equivalent to two P.O. caseloads• 53 new sex offenders in 2004 – 7.46%
Growth
Growth in P.O. Caseloads68 Probation Officers in Alaska – Currently 11 vacancies:
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• Institutional Treatment Program at Hiland Mtn. that treated only 1% of all sex offenders ended in FY04
• Alaska has one of the highest ratios of sex offenders per capita
• Lack of approved sex offender treatment providers in the community
• Deceptive/Manipulative: Difficulty in identifying criminal patterns
• Large P.O. Caseloads
Challenge: Managing Sex Offenders
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Alaska Native Offenders
Sex Offenders by Race
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• Reduce sex offender caseloads• Implement Containment Management
Model in FY05:
New Risk Assessment
Pilot Project using Polygraph
Sex Offender Strategy:
• The Containment model is considered the ‘best practice’ and is used in 38 other jurisdictions.
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Victim Services Oversight • Operates VINE System• Coordinates services with victim advocacy
organizations, including:Office of Victims RightsVictims for Justice, STARMothers Against Drunk Driving
Probation & Parole Services
VPSO Coordination and Training
• VPSOs monitor offenders in villages. 4-7 training sessions annually for 50-55 VPSOs
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Lock ‘em up and through away the key?
Offender Programs
NO!When offenders choose to make positive changes in their lives, Corrections has a host of programs to assist them.
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All of the programs in place prior to this administration are still offered:
Offender Programs
Cultural Programs
• Potlatches are held in all sentenced facilities• Carving in all sentenced facilities
• Sweat lodges at sentenced facilities
• Talking Circles at facilities w/ volunteers
In addition, we’ve added:
• MOU w/ South Central Foundation
• Pre-release screenings by Cook Inlet Tribal Council
• Potlatch at Arizona Facility
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Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Programs:
Long-term therapeutic community treatment for offenders with histories of severe addiction
Offender Programs
Substance Abuse
42-bed program in Kenai for men
32-bed program in Eagle River for women
New 40-bed program in Arizona for men
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Adult Basic Education (ABE) Provided at all institutions
Offender Programs
Education
General Equivalency Degree (GED) Provided at all institutions
Life Skills Programming – Health/safety, pre-release employment. Provided at all institutions
Vocational Education – Provided at sentenced institutions only
Post-Secondary Education – Available at prisoner’s own expense.
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Corrections is the largest mental health provider in Alaska
Offender Programs
Mental Health
• 30-35% of offenders have been diagnosed with a disorder
• 15-18% of offenders are chronically mentally ill
• Mental health staff are seeing 120 NEW patients each month. Staff had 13,300 contacts in 2004 – a 20% increase over 2003.
•More than 50% of Corrections pharmacy costs are psychotropic.
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Resources
Offender Programs
Mental Health
• Mental services are available at all institutions.
• Two hospital-level psychiatric acute care units at the Anchorage Complex and Eagle River
•Two sub acute care units at Palmer and Seward
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Diversion ProgramsCorrections works with partners to divert persons with mental health issues out of institutions
Offender Programs
Mental Health
• Mental Health Courts (Misdemeanants) – Located in Anchorage since 1998. New MH court in Palmer, March 2005
• Jail Alternative Services – In conjunction with OPA/Southcentral Counseling
• Institutional Discharge Program (IDP) for felons. Began in 1994
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Full range of medical services at all institutions
Offender Programs
Medical
• Offender population is generally in poor health due to a variety of factors including substance abuse
• Medical costs are determined by needs of prisoners. One catastrophic case can significantly impact budget• Medical Parole Bill has enabled cost control by shifting health care costs to other providers
• Limited health care to short-term offenders able to get care from other providers when released
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Multi-faith services available at all facilities
Offender Programs
Chaplaincy Program
• Full-time paid Chaplaincy Coordinator. 3 paid chaplains in institutions
• Faith-based Transformation Living Community (TLC) at Palmer Correctional Center. Operation of 38-bed unit is privately funded by faith community and through a grant from the South Central Foundation. Waiting list to get in the program.
• Faith-based TLC at Arizona facility for long-term offenders
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The most effective way to help offenders reenter society is to give them a chance to work and build solid employment skills
Offender Programs
Offender Work
• In institutions, offenders work in a variety of support jobs, including janitorial, food preparation, laundry, grounds work and maintenance
• Alaska Correctional Industries operates factories at several institutions making furniture, clothing and textiles, metal items, and providing commercial laundry services• In the community, offenders are required to hold a job or be actively looking
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Corrections has partnered with several agencies to assist offenders re-entering society and break the cycle of recidivism
Offender Programs
Partnering for the Future
• Federal Re-Entry Initiative Grant in Juneau and Bethel partners with local non-profit agencies
• South Central Foundation MOU
• Social Security Administration
• Veterans Administration
• Cook Inlet Tribal Council
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Recruitment and Retention of Correctional Officers and Probation Officers
#1 Priority:
• Stateside recruitment campaign this spring with print, radio and TV ads
• New hiring process for Correctional Officer began Jan. 3
• New interview process for probation officers has increased number of candidates completing the screening process
• Targeted recruitment for local hire in Nome and Bethel
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Questions?