A publication of the Justice Center	Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center

Victimization in Anchorage: Findings from the
Anchorage Adult Victimization Survey
by Matthew Giblin

Throughout the country as a whole, crime tends to be significantly underreported for a variety of reasons. This article, the second in a series of Alaska Justice Forum articles on findings from the Anchorage Adult Criminal Victimization Survey (AACVS), demonatrates that this is true for Anchorage as well. The article looks at actual criminal victimization experiences of survey respondents, including whether such victimizations were reported to the police. Also presented are findings from a national victimization survey and a similar local victimization survey conducted in 12 cities.

Number of Prisoners Continues to Grow

The total U.S. prison population continues the inexorable growth it has exhibited over the last two decades, although the rate of growth seems to have slowed somewhat. At the end of 2002, over 1,400,000 individuals were held in jails and prisons throughout the country, according to figures released by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics. This total includes sentenced felons and misdemeanants and unsentenced detainees. Close to 4,400 individuals were in custody under the jurisdiction of the state of Alaska.

Visa Protections for Immigrant Victims of Crime
by Robin Bronen

Among the barriers immigrant crime victims face when seeking access to the criminal justice system— language, culture and a lack of knowledge about the process—fear of deportation and permanent separation from family members, including children, is by far the most significant impediment. This fear prevents many immigrant crime victims from seeking police protection, shelter, medical care and other social services. Recognizing that the immigrant population is extremely vulnerable to victimization because of the fear of deportation, Congress has taken steps over the last decade to ensure that immigrant crime victims are afforded safety and protection, regardless of their immigration status. This article details key provisions of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, both of which contain provisions addressing immigrant victims of crime, and discusses efforts in Alaska to assist immigrant victims of crime.