Alaska criminal justice system

Resource index > Criminal justice > Alaska criminal justice system

The U.S. Revenue Cutter Bear, floating symbol of legal authority in early Territorial Alaska. Click on the picture to learn more.

Unlike those of most other states, Alaska's justice and legal system is highly unified. To efficiently serve a relatively small population scattered over a large geographic area, the Alaska Constitution centralized the justice system at the state level, with several executive branch agencies holding justice responsibilities. Hence, many justice system activities handled at the county level in other states (such as courts and jails) are handled at the state level in Alaska. Most justice agencies organize their administration on a regional basis.
Law enforcement is the only justice service in Alaska delivered at least in part through local agencies. However, municipal and borough police departments exist only in those communities with the economic resources to support them. Throughout the rest of the state, law enforcement services are provide chiefly by the Alaska Department of Public Safety, which also enforces fish and wildlife laws on state lands. Prosecutorial functions statewide are handled by the Department of Law. The judiciary is organized into the statewide Alaska Court System, with court administration reporting to the Chief Justice of the Alaska Supreme Court. The Department of Corrections is responsible for pretrial detention, misdemeanor and felony incarceration, and statewide probation and parole field services. Within the Department of Health and Social Services, the Division of Juvenile Justice has statewide responsibility for juvenile corrections services.

See also:
Law enforcement & public safety > Alaska state law enforcement
Law enforcement & public safety > Alaska local law enforcement
Courts & judicial process > Alaska Court System
Law & law practice > Alaska governmental law agencies
Corrections > Alaska adult corrections
Juvenile justice > Alaska juvenile corrections

Alaska criminal justice agencies
These are the major agencies dealing with criminal justice in the state, but this is not a comprehensive list. For more detailed information, refer the resource listings for the major components of the criminal justice system.

Alaska Department of Public Safety. See also Alaska state law enforcement.
Local law enforcement agencies. See Alaska local law enforcement.
Alaska Court System. See also Alaska Court System.
Alaska Judicial Council. An independent state agency in the judicial branch of government; established by the Alaska Constitution with a constitutional role in the selection of new judges, evaluation/retention of current judges, and research into the administration of justice. Alaska judicial selection & retention.
Alaska Department of Law. See also Alaska governmental law agencies.
Alaska Department of Corrections. See also Alaska adult corrections.
Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice. See also Alaska juvenile corrections.

Criminal justice reform

See Criminal justice reform.

Alaska justice research

Justice Center articles & reports
(in reverse chronological order)

Periman, Deborah. (Fall 2007). "The Hidden Impact of a Criminal Conviction: A Brief Overview of Collateral Consequences in Alaska." Alaska Justice Forum 24(3): 1, 6–12.
Justice Center, University of Alaska Anchorage. (Winter 2006). "Alaska Justice System Operating Expenditures." Alaska Justice Forum 22(4): 4.
Justice Center, University of Alaska Anchorage. (Summer 2004). "Alaska Justice System Expenditures, 1984-2001." Alaska Justice Forum 21(2): 1-3.
"Criminal Justice in the Northwest Arctic Borough" by Richard Erlich. Alaska Justice Forum 13(3), Fall 1996.
"Justice System Expenditures in Alaska and the Nation (A BJS Report)" by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Alaska Justice Forum 18(4), Winter 2002.