Governor Bill Walker’s $3.5 million cut to the Department of Corrections will cause the department to close at least one corrections facility and possibly some probation offices. Department spokesperson Corey Allen-Young will not specify which ones.
The department is looking internally at possibilities. “It’s part of doing a study and researching which ones we can cut that doesn’t affect services and still provides security and safety for our community,” Allen-Young said.
Allen-Young emphasized that facilities will not close overnight. Inmates will be moved to other corrections centers and halfway houses or possibly put on ankle monitoring, depending on the situation.
Other possible cost savings measures include reassigning employees to other facilities to reduce overtime payments, and sending some inmates out of state again because it’s significantly less expensive. Allen-Young said the department will try to partner with more community agencies to provide treatment programs.
Anne Hillman is the healthy communities editor at Alaska Public Media and a host of Hometown, Alaska. Reach her atahillman@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Annehere.
