The Alaska State Prison System

The Alaska Department of Corrections is an agency of the Alaska state government that manages adult penal institutions. Management here includes incarceration, parole, and probation. Persons admitted to the system are those who have received convictions and a sentence from the Alaska state courts. The state prison system is an elaborate structure that provides housing and security for federal prisoners awaiting trial or sentencing in the state, as there are no federal prisons in Alaska. Prisons in Alaska serve to enforce incarceration sentences, protect the rest of the citizens from danger, and rehabilitate the inmates in confinement. The state prison system also houses federal prisoners awaiting trial or sentence in the state district courts, as there are no federal prisons in Alaska. Federal convicts who receive a prison sentence in the state eventually get transferred to an out-of-state federal prison to serve their sentences.

What is the Difference Between Jail and Prison in Alaska?

The Alaska corrections system is a unified structure that oversees both jail and prison facilities in the state. The key difference between the two is their function. Jails serve to house inmates short-term or state criminals in transit. Prisons serve a long-term housing function and for persons serving sentences over two years. Again, the unified system of incarceration in the state makes it difficult to draw clear lines of function. This is because the decision to use a facility for one prisoner and not for another rests on many other factors, including the discretion of the authorities.

How Many Prisons Are in Alaska?

There are thirteen prison facilities in Alaska. Being a unified corrections system, it encompasses a jail network of 15 centers:

• Anchorage Correctional Complex
• 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
• Point Mackenzie Correctional Farm
• Spring Creek Correctional Center
• Wildwood Correctional Center
• Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center

Here is the list of jail facilities:

Barrow, Cordova, Craig, Dillingham, Haines, Hoer, King Salmon, Kodiak, Kotzebue, Petersburg. Seward, Sitka, Unalaska, Valdez, and Wrangell.

The headquarters and branch offices of the Department of Corrections are in Juneau and Anchorage, respectively. Here are the addresses:

Department of Corrections - Juneau
P. O. Box 112000
Juneau, Alaska 99811
Phone: (907) 465–4652
Fax: (907) 465–3390

Department of Corrections - Anchorage
550 West 7th Avenue, Suite 1800
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
Phone: (907) 334–2381
Toll Free: (844) 934–2381

How Do I Search for an Inmate in Alaska State Prison?

Alaska does not run an online register of inmates in the state. Parties that have cause to believe that an individual is in the custody of the state (state or municipal), may call (907) 269–7426 to speak with the Chief Classification Officer of the Department of Corrections. Interested parties can also get information on some government-approved third-party websites. For persons on misdemeanor probation, contact the court clerk’s office of the courthouse that handled the case for information. The inmate’s court record should provide information regarding that. Another way to do this is to call the Anchorage City Prosecutor’s office at (907) 343–4250 to request the address of the individual.

Persons on felony probation can contact the Family Law Self-Help Services for information on how to obtain information from the state Department of Corrections.

In all, be sure to have basic information about the inmate, such as full name, date of birth, sex, ethnicity, and case information number. If available, have the inmate registration ID ready.

Are Incarceration Records Public in Alaska?

Incarceration records are a part of an individual's criminal history. Under Alaska's laws and regulations concerning information, criminal history information is confidential. To put it differently, it is accessible only with written permission or fingerprint submission from the person listed in the record. By default, juvenile records are not part of criminal history information stored by the state repository of criminal justice information. That is unless the juvenile received a conviction for a serious traffic violation, such as driving under the influence (DUI) or driving with a suspended license.

Records of criminal cases that are considered public may be accessible from some third-party websites. These sites may simplify the research process by aggregating records from various US districts and allowing requesters to perform single or multi-record searches. Users are typically required to facilitate a record search by providing the following information:

• The name of the person involved in the record, unless said person is a juvenile
• The location or assumed location of the record of the person involved. This includes information such as the city, county, or state that the person resides in or where the offense occurred.

Aggregate or third-party sites are operated independently of government resources. Thus, record availability, accuracy, and validity may not be guaranteed. Users are advised to verify information obtained from them with official custodians. 

How to Look Up Jail Records in Alaska?

Being a unified system, jail information is available primarily through the central authority. Also, government-approved third-party websites may provide the necessary information about an individual held in Alaska jails. Otherwise, the legal process of the case should be used to track the individual. For example, visit the law enforcement agency responsible for the individual's arrest to get facts about the case. If there was a trial, locate the relevant courthouse and make inquiries. Records may be available for inspection and copying at a fee.

Can Jail Records be Expunged in Alaska?

Alaska state laws do not provide for the expunction of criminal history records, which include jail history information. However, the state statutes provide for the sealing of a document in cases of false accusation or mistaken identity. In other words, if a jail incident did not lead to charges or a conviction, such persons are eligible to have their records sealed. Complete the Request to Seal Criminal Justice Record forms and submit by mail to:

Alaska Department of Public Safety
R&I - Quality Assurance Unit
5700 E. Tudor Rd
Anchorage, AK 99507