Alaska Inmate Search

Alaska operates a unique correctional system. The state integrates its prison and jail system at the state level, unifying its correctional system. This is unlike in other states where the Department of Corrections oversees the prison system, while counties or boroughs oversee the jail system. While the general capacity of Alaska's prison facilities is about 5,101 inmates, the facilities currently hold around 4,554 inmates statewide. Due to its unified prison system, Alaska generally categorizes inmate population by facility. With about 1,215, 852, and 488 inmates, the Goose Creek, Anchorage, and Palmer Correctional Centers hold the highest number of inmates in Alaska.

Inmate search tools provide information on the incarceration status of an individual. Members of the public may use inmate search tools to confirm whether an individual is in custody in Alaska and information related to their incarceration. Also, an inmate search tool can reveal the correctional facility in which such an inmate is housed, giving friends and family of incarcerated persons in the state easy access to information about their loved ones and helping them stay in touch.

What is Alaska Inmate Lookup?

Alaska inmate lookup involves searching for information about inmates currently held in any of the state's correctional facilities. Anyone interested in looking up an inmate serving time in Alaska may do so by using the Alaska VINELink or by calling the Alaska Department of Corrections (DOC) at (907) 465-4652 or (907) 334-2381 for further directions.

By facilitating the public's access to inmate information and general information on the relevant correctional center, inmate lookup services generally enhance transparency in the administration of the Alaska correctional system. For instance, interested persons may access an inmate's name, the charges for which they were incarcerated, their current status, the correctional facility they are held in, and court dates.

An inmate lookup in the state may also provide information about a prison facility's visitation schedule and other allowances. An inmate's friends and family may utilize this information to plan visits and confirm what they are allowed or not allowed to do when reconnecting with their loved one. This can help maintain the inmate's social bond and contact with their support system, keeping them better grounded and helping them to maintain their anxiety or social isolation.

What Information Can You Find in an Alaska Inmate Search?

Individuals who conduct inmate searches in Alaska will typically find the following information:

• Inmate's full name
• Inmate's date of birth
• Custody status
• Correctional facility of incarceration's location
• Inmate's ID number
• Gender

How Are Inmate Records in Alaska Created and Stored?

Alaska inmate records are first created when someone is arrested and held for sentencing. Local police fill out a RAP sheet which records the person's name, address, physical description, and other details about the crime committed. As soon as the offender is taken into custody, the paper trail begins and is updated as he or she moves along the system. Once they are sentenced to prison, their records go with them. Some information from their prison records is typically available and accessible through an inmate lookup tool.

Alaska uses a unified justice system with all law enforcement agencies connected to the same database for entering and updating inmate information. This central repository makes an inmate lookup quick and easy. The Alaska Department of Corrections oversees all prison facilities and inmates.

What Does Alaska's Prison System Look Like?

Alaska operates a unified prison system. This state prison system comprises 13 state-run correctional institutions overseen by the Alaska Department of Correction (DOC). Despite its unified system, there are local or community jails across different cities, like the Homer Community Jail. These local jails are temporary detention centers owned and operated by the city, and they typically provide short-term detention facilities for persons under arraignment.

The state's prison facilities also have reentry programs for inmates nearing the end of their incarceration, helping them to prepare for their release and readjust into society. Notably, these reentry programs include mental health release programs and job opportunities. Alaska correctional facilities are distributed in different parts of the state's boroughs.

The DOC has over 1,800 employees across the 13 prison facilities it supervises. As of 2023, the Alaska prison system under the DOC had a general capacity of 5,101 inmates and an operational capacity of 5,285 inmates. The maximum capacity relates to the maximum allowable number of inmates after the traditional beds are exhausted and the facility resorts to makeshift beds, taking into consideration safety standards.

State-run correctional facilities in Alaska have varying security classifications, mostly minimum and medium security prisons. The minimum-security prisons in Alaska generally hold inmates who pose no significant security risk, while inmates incarcerated in medium-security prisons in Alaska are persons who pose a risk to security, but have also demonstrated a readiness to adhere to institutional rules. Alaska has only one maximum security prison and it is reserved for inmates who need direct and constant supervision and pose a severe risk to security and danger to society.

Types of Correctional Facilities in Alaska

The state of Alaska has 13 state prisons. Each houses a different demographic and has specific levels of custody. The Alaska Department of Corrections oversees each of these facilities along with the reentry programs and services. The Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) oversees the rehabilitation and education of youth offenders.

There are no federal prisons in Alaska. Therefore, federal inmates are held in some of the state's prisons and make up 3% of the state's inmate population. Many cities in Alaska also have local jails to hold suspects awaiting trial.

Alaska State Prisons

Alaska has 13 state prisons. Each serves a different demographic and has various custody levels. A couple of facilities also offer mental health and substance abuse treatment. Below is the list of all prison facilities in Alaska:

• Anchorage Correctional Center
• Anvil Mountain Correctional Center
• Fairbanks Correctional Center
• Goose Creek Correctional Center
• Hiland Mountain Correctional Center
• Ketchikan Correctional Center
• Lemon Creek Correctional Center
• Mat-Su Pretrial
• Palmer Correctional Center
• Pt McKenzie Work Farm
• Spring Creek Correctional Center
• Wildwood Correctional Center
• Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center

Alaska Borough Jails

Alaska operates a unified correctional system. The correctional facilities within the state are state-run, with exceptions to some local or community jails operated by some cities.

Alaska Juvenile Detention Centers

The Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) is the agency in charge of juvenile justice and oversees all youth detention centers in the state. These facilities hold persons under the age of 18, including those who have been adjudicated as youthful offenders, delinquents, or placed in DJJ's detention programs while awaiting a future court date. They provide education, rehabilitation, victim services, substance abuse treatment, and mental health services. The juvenile detention facilities in Alaska include the following:

• Bethel Youth Facility
• Fairbanks Youth Facility
• Johnson Youth Center, Juneau
• Kenai Peninsula Youth Facility
• Mat-Su Youth Facility, Palmer
• McLaughlin Youth Center, Anchorage

Individuals interested in conducting juvenile inmate searches in Alaska may contact any of the DJJ's offices.

Alaska Community Correctional Facilities

The Alaska Department of Corrections oversees the state's community correctional facilities and generally operates under two major initiatives. These are the statewide network of Community Justice Support Centers (CJSC) and the Trial Court Community Service Program.

The Trial Court Community Service Program maintains public safety by organizing closely monitored community work services as an intermediate sanction to the state criminal justice system.

While attendance at the Community Justice Support Centers (CJSC) may be a condition of pre-release supervision or parole, it is typically ordered by the court. The state currently has several community support centers, such as the University of Alaska Anchorage Justice Center and the Alaska Native Justice Center, and the different programs at the CJSC are designed to improve participating offenders' lives and help them avoid further involvement in the state's criminal justice system.

Why are People Incarcerated in Alaska?

In Alaska, individuals are incarcerated for several types of offenses, generally classified as felony and misdemeanor offenses and violations. Felonies are usually serious offenses attracting imprisonment, while violations refer to less serious offenses like traffic tickets and code violations. While violations may be punishable by fines, offenders may face imprisonment, depending on the severity of the violation. These offenses can be further categorized as offenses against a person, sex, drug, and property offenses.

Offenses against a person that typically lead to incarceration in Alaska include murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, manslaughter, and first-degree assault. Sex offenses include rape, first-degree sexual abuse of a minor, and second-degree sexual abuse of a minor. Likewise, property offenses that may lead to incarceration include arson, burglary in a dwelling, vehicle theft, unarmed robbery, theft between $500 and $25,000 or theft over $25,000, and bootlegging, while drug offenses attracting imprisonment include selling heroin to a minor or an adult, possession of heroin or cocaine, and selling marijuana.

Each offense attracts varying prison time. For example, murder is a separate felony from Class A felonies, such as manslaughter, and generally attracts more prison time.

Anyone interested in conducting an inmate search to find out why a person is being incarcerated in an Alaska correctional facility can look up the inmate on VINELink. The state's Department of Correction (DOC) generally promotes public safety by incarcerating violent offenders and providing programming and care in preparation for inmates' successful reentry into society. That being the case, Alaska prioritizes the rehabilitation of all inmates, especially those with a history of substance abuse or mental health concerns or those convicted of sexual or domestic violence-related offenses.

In addition to rehabilitative steps, the DOC also collaborates with diverse local organizations and community members to work on challenging local issues and provide services to individuals about to complete their sentence and be released from correctional facilities. This helps to improve their lives upon release and address concerns relating to social isolation or difficulty readjusting into society.

Alaska's Incarceration Rate and Statistics

In 2017, Alaska recorded the lowest incarceration rate in recent years, with about 4,216 inmates in prison as of July 1, 2017. This figure has slightly increased by July 2022, with the prison population rising to 4,738 inmates. As of December 2022, the rate of incarceration in the state was 205 persons per 100,000 total population. However, this was a 3.75% decrease from 2021, with an incarceration rate of 213 persons per 100,000 population.

The table below shows Alaska's incarceration rate over 7 years.

Life After Incarceration in Alaska

Unless there are certain probationary terms or special home arrest conditions, inmates released from Alaska prisons generally go home to family or friends. Although the state has a healthy parole and probation program, they do not have any reentry facilities to hold inmates while they transition back into society.

However, there are several reentry programs organized by the state and non-profit organizations to help newly released inmates settle in and adjust to society. These programs are notably crucial, as Alaska's recidivism rate as of 2019 was nearly 60%, and this was the average rate between 2017 and 2019. This means that more than half of newly released inmates commit another offense that puts them back in prison.

In addition to the Alaska Community Reentry Program, the Reentry & Recovery Program, Bristol Bay Reentry Program, and Partners Reentry Center are some of the reentry programs and non-profits in Alaska. These programs and non-profits assist newly released inmates with employment, housing, and mental health support, among others. They also offer programs to help with parenting classes, anger management, and education.

How Does Parole Work in Alaska?

The Alaska parole board reviews each inmate's progress, and when they feel a prisoner is rehabilitated and not a danger to society, they may release them early before finishing their sentence. When this happens, the inmate is given a list of stipulations they must comply with. If the inmate does not check in regularly with their parole officer or violates any of the other rules, they will return to prison to finish their sentences. As of December 2022, Alaska's parole population stood at 750.

Alaska Parole Population in 2022

How Does Someone Get Probation in Alaska?

Probation is a supervisory program where an Alaska judge can order probation instead of prison. This privilege is most often given to first-time or low-risk offenders. Again, these individuals do have to comply with a list of court-ordered rules. If they fail to meet with the probation officer or complete any of the other terms of their probation, it will be revoked, and they will immediately go to prison. About 2,880 individuals were on probation in Alaska as of year-end 2022.

Alaska Probation Population in 2022