About Alaska Department of Corrections
The Alaska Department of Corrections has been in existence as a separate state department since January 1, 1994. Previously, the Division of Adult Probation and Parole was responsible for overseeing the conduct of inmates within the institutions and after release.
The Alaska Department of Corrections (DOC) is responsible for providing custody, control, and care to Alaska’s felony offenders. The DOC also provides supervision to persons convicted of misdemeanors who are ordered into community-based correctional facilities or end up in community-based corrections due to revocation for technical violations or sentence expiration.
This department has an operational structure that divides the state into geographic regions. This organizational design facilitates the supervision of offenders in supervised release programs which are district specific. Alaska Department of Corrections can have as many as 600 persons on community corrections at any given time.
The mission of the Department is to provide an environment that secures Alaska’s communities and enhances public safety while holding offenders accountable for their actions and providing opportunities for successful reintegration into society.
Operation of the Alaska Department of Corrections
The department operates a central office in Juneau with several branch offices throughout the state. The agency also includes over 15 correctional facilities, four Community Service Camps, and one Halfway House in addition to its headquarters. Correctional officers provide supervision of offenders at all locations except for the Community Service Camps. Here, offenders perform their assigned community service with an emphasis on the reintegration of the offender back into society. A central staff providing programmatic oversight includes Security, Classification/Assessment, Intake/Records, Medical Services, Health Care Policy, Food Service Management, and Fiscal Services.
The agency employs officers based on their experience as law enforcement officers prior to entering corrections. They can also hire officers at the entry-level with no prior experience. All officers receive specialized training in the field of corrections. Furthermore, the Alaska Police Standards Council validates each officer to ensure they meet mandatory requirements for certification as an Alaska Peace Officer.
Currently, the agency is under the management of Nancy Dahlstrom, with its headquarters in Douglas, Juneau, and offices in Anchorage.
Facilities under the Alaska DOC
Alaska does not have federal prisons. As such, all prisons in Alaska’s geographical area are under the management of the state’s department of corrections. The system entails both pre-trial booking and long-term detention of convicts. Below are some of the facilities under the DOC in Alaska:
- Wildwood Pretrial Facility, near Kenai. This facility has a capacity of 113 inmates.
- Palmer Medium and Minimum Correctional Centers. These facilities are situated in Palmer, with an inmate capacity of over 450 inmates.
- Anchorage Correctional Complex in Anchorage. This facility has a capacity of over 800 prisoners.
- Goose Creek Correctional Center, Point MacKenzie. This is a medium-security facility with a total of over 1500 inmates.
Individuals can access additional information on facilities under the Alaska DOC by following this link.
Alaska DOC’s Role in the Inmate Reintegration Process
The Alaska DOC has a transitional services unit that works with offenders, correctional officers, and community members who have contact with offenders before, during, and after release from prison. The unit provides a continuum of reentry services.
Offenders exiting prison can request a review from the department’s transitional services unit director to develop an individualized transition plan. The plan sets out goals for their release, expectations requirements, and other commitments they agree to follow while transitioning back into the community. These plans are also known as post-release agreements.
Individuals that the department identifies as being at the highest risk for recidivism must follow the set agreements. Afterward, the department lifts the restrictions after determining that the offender is able to comply and has no recidivism chance.
Inmates with Disabilities
The Alaska Department of Corrections has developed a progression plan for offenders with disabilities. The plan is pursuant to the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). It strives to ensure that offenders with disabilities have access to services and programs offered by DOC through alternative approaches when necessary. In some instances, it may be necessary to remove an offender from a prison or a jail-based program to ensure their safety and that of other offenders.
HealthCare Provision for Inmates under Alaska Department of Corrections
The Alaska Department of Corrections ensures that inmates, whether sentenced or on parole, have access to quality healthcare services equivalent to that of the general public. These services include mental, dental, optical, and general health services. Additionally, the department insists that no inmate will lack access to quality health care due to financial issues. As such, it employs the most efficient and cost-effective means to meet prisoners’ needs.
The department ensures that prisoners go through orientation services upon admission to any of their facilities. The orientation includes guides on how inmates can obtain health care services within the particular institution. Prisoners who require non-emergency medical care can complete form 807.02A. Alternatively, these individuals can attend sick calls instead.
Prisoners in need of emergency medical care must notify the institution’s officers immediately. Then, the officers will call the facility’s medical staff for prompt intervention. The officer will have to notify the Shift Supervisor in the absence of the on-call medical staff, who will, in turn, make medical attention arrangements.
The physician must develop a treatment report, in writing, for each inmate in need of health care assistance. This report includes the diagnoses, drugs issued, and rehabilitation requirements for the inmates.
Alaska DOC Inmate Search
The Department of Corrections inmate search is the process by which one can view criminal records, personal details, and more information about inmates currently or previously incarcerated in Alaskan correctional facilities. Online state prisoner lookup in Alaska was launched in July 2009 and is now part of the Department of Safety’s website, following its merger with the Department of Corrections in 2010. This search provides information on an offender’s conviction, offense history, projected release date, and mug shot.
This site has been a source of attention from people both inside and outside the state due to its recent revamping. The revamping process has resulted in better accessibility and functionality. It is important to note that some of the information available on the website may be inaccurate. This is because the department relies mainly on public information to update the site. However, details on crimes and convictions are accurate and 100% reliable.
Offender Locator Process
The initial step involves visiting the state doc offender locator website. Then, details on the inmate’s age, name, gender, and date of birth are necessary for the next step. The website will then direct the searcher to the submit option, which will list down all inmates who match the particular criteria. The more details a person knows about the offender, the more accurate the results. Hence, people who know the offenders’ first and last names and their ages will get narrower and more accurate results.
VINE Services in Alaska
Alaska VINE is an automated service under the Alaska DOC. It enables residents to follow an offender’s custody status through the Internet using their electronic gadgets. Individuals with an interest in receiving the notifications must register for alerts. The VINE sends notifications upon freeing, transfer, or escape of an offender from custody by phone, text message, and/or email. The alerts also include court hearing information on a particular offender.
Alaska DOC Sex Offender Search
The DOC in Alaska provides a database known as Alaska SOCKR. It allows people to look for and investigate sex offenders released from custody and child kidnappers whose crimes were after 1999. The department of Public Safety has the responsibility of managing the website.
Search Process
Fill out the fields with a combination of the offender’s first name, last name, and address information. Then, click on the Select Query button. A results page will show, which will include a list of all Alaska offenders who match the search parameters.
The searcher can then click on the particular offender’s name. This prompt will list the convict’s crime report, including photos, aliases, current location, and physical description. The report will also indicate all details that resulted in the individual’s registration as a sex offender or child kidnapper.
