Key Performance Indicators
Department of Corrections
Mission
We provide secure confinement, reformative programs, and a process of supervised community reintegration to enhance the safety of our communities. AS 44.28.020
Key Performance Indicators
| 2. | Supervised Release Includes resources for: Administration and Support, Correctional Academy, Probation and Parole Director’s Office, Statewide Probation and Parole, Electronic Monitoring, Community Residential Centers, and the Parole Board. |
Funding | Positions | ||||||
| UGF Funds | DGF Funds | Other Funds | Federal Funds | Total Funds | Full Time | Part Time | Non Perm | ||
| $48,973.4 | $4,905.0 | $96.5 | $50.0 | $54,024.9 | 279 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 3. | Reformative Programs Includes resources for: Administration and Support, Education and Vocational Education Programs, Domestic Violence Program, Substance Abuse Treatment, Sex Offender Management Programs, Faith-Based Services, and Behavioral Health Care. |
Funding | Positions | ||||||
| UGF Funds | DGF Funds | Other Funds | Federal Funds | Total Funds | Full Time | Part Time | Non Perm | ||
| $20,776.0 | $1,000.0 | $1,310.8 | $65.0 | $23,151.8 | 88 | 0 | 0 | ||
Performance Detail
| 1: Secure Confinement |
Target #1: Decrease the Number of Special Incident Reports.
Number of Special Incident Report Level Assaults
Analysis of results and challenges: The department has seen an expected decrease in the number of Special Incident Reports from FY2016, in FY2016 there were 65 Special Incident Reports. During FY2017 there were a total of 61 reports incidents; for a total decrease of 4. This is due to the slight decrease in the average inmate population for FY2017. Special Incident Reports are reviewed by the new Professional Conduct Unit (PCU). This review creates a feedback loop for operational and training adjustments if necessary. Tracking and monitoring of these reports assists in identifying if the assault was a result of operational situations that lends itself to these types of offender behaviors or if the Department’s training is adequate for Correctional Officers given these types of situations. |
Target #2: Maintain zero prison escapes.
Escape 1 and 2 Convictions Where the Offender was Located at a Correctional Facility Prior to Escaping
Analysis of results and challenges: Escape 1 (AS 11.56.300) is defined as: “One commits the crime of escape in the first degree if, without lawful authority, one removes oneself from official detention by means of a deadly weapon or a defensive weapon.” Escape 2 (AS 11.56.310) is defined as: "One commits the crime of escape in the second degree if, without lawful authority, one removes oneself from a correctional facility while under detention; or from official detention for a felony or for extradition; or from official detention and, during the escape or at any time before being restored to official detention, or possesses on or about oneself a firearm". The counts provided are for those offenders convicted of escaping from a Department of Corrections facility and may not be reflective of the actual year the escape occurred. If an offender has not been convicted of escape the offender is not counted in the data. |
| 2: Supervised Release |
Target #1: Increase the percent of probationers and parolees who satisfy their court ordered conditions of release.
Percentage of Probationers and Parolees Who Successfully Satisfy Court Ordered Conditions of Release
Analysis of results and challenges: During FY2016, there were 1,078 offenders released from secure confinement and placed under supervised release. Of those offenders under supervision, 566 successfully completed their court or parole ordered conditions and were released from supervision. Probationers and parolees who are unsuccessful in satisfying their court or parole ordered conditions of release are returned to incarceration, increasing the offender population and the cost of incarceration. A successful discharge improves recidivism rates, allowing for increased public safety while decreasing victimization and costs to the state. Proactively supervising probationers and parolees will enhance their successful re-entry in their community; increasing the number of successful discharges. Proactive supervision targets proven supervision methods that are known to decrease the likelihood of failure in the community or causing future harm through assessing risk to reoffend, employing motivational interviewing techniques and tailoring supervision strategies to address criminogenic needs (i.e., housing, treatment, criminal attitudes, pro-social activities, etc.). However, identifying available or limited community resources for probationers and parolees create significant challenges in areas such as housing, employment, substance abuse treatment, mental health counseling, etc. |
Target #2: Reduce criminal recidivism.
Offenders Returning to Incarceration Within 3 Years of Release
Analysis of results and challenges: The department is experiencing an increase in the recidivism rate of the offenders released from custody but still reflects a slight reduction from the FY2009 rate of 67.62%. This rate is based on the number of convicted felony offenders released back into the community and have been re-incarcerated as a result of a new sentence, or had parole, probation revocation within three years of release. The Criminal Justice Working Group formed the Alaska Prisoner Re-Entry Task Force to address reintegration of Alaskan offenders back into their communities and to reduce recidivism. The task force formulated a Five Year Strategic Re-Entry Plan approved by the governor in FY2011. The department is implementing this plan which places a stronger focus on successful prisoner re-entry. This involves providing expanded institutional and community-based services and achieving collaborative efforts between the state and community partners to increase prisoner community support such as programs, housing, jobs, etc., which assists with offender re-integration. This approach is aimed at turning former offenders into productive and law-abiding community members. The strategy is built on documented evidence shown to improve reintegration-related outcomes. Reintegration begins upon admission to prison and continues through incarceration, release, community supervision and ultimately the unsupervised and successful reintegration into the community. The State of Alaska recognizes that the successful re-entry of prisoners is a critical component of the state’s public protection and corrections mission. Failure results in a costly waste of public resources and diminished public goodwill which often means homelessness, unemployment, returning to or falling into addiction, often a new crime and a new victim, and ultimately re-incarceration. The burden of this failure has a significant impact on the state’s budget, Alaska communities, and those former offenders and their families struggling to succeed in society. The department will continue its efforts for successful prisoner reentry to reduce criminal recidivism and report new information accordingly. |
| 3: Reformative Programs |
Target #1: Increase the number of individuals who complete an institutional or community-based substance abuse treatment program.
Number of Offenders Completing an Institutional or Community-Based Substance Abuse Treatment Program
Analysis of results and challenges: Analysis of results and challenges: Starting on July 1, 2015 (FY16) the Department had a statewide substance abuse contract with a local substance abuse treatment vendor to provide substance abuse screening, assessment, education, and treatment services. In the middle of FY17, the vendor provided written notice to withdraw from the contract effective December 30, 2016. The Department had difficulty maintaining treatment programming due to the Dec. 30, 2016 contract withdrawal and as result there was a significant reduction in the number services conducted in FY17 when compared to previous fiscal years. The Department did hire short-term non-perm staff to bridge treatment services while concurrently following the RFP process to secure new contracts. Those contract negotiations are ongoing into October of FY18. Screening DOC uses the Simple Screening Instrument for Substance Abuse (SSI), a screening tool developed through the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Substance abuse screenings were introduced in FY2014 using a modified version of the Simple Screening Instrument (SSI). In the past fiscal years, the tool was modified to aid in offender programming and housing placement. In FY2016 the SSI returned to its original purpose which is to determine when a referral for a full substance abuse assessment is warranted. In FY2016, screening services were broadened to include an additional eight locations which targeted all new incoming offenders at all institutions (with the exception of Ketchikan Correctional Center). However, FY17 because of the statewide substance abuse contract ending in December 2016 the screenings capabilities were significantly impacted statewide. After the contract ended, the Department provided limited screening services for the majority of the fiscal year at Anchorage Correctional, Anvil Mountain Correctional (Nome), Fairbanks Correctional, Goose Creek Correctional (Wasilla), Hiland Mountain Correctional (Eagle River), and Spring Creek Correctional (Seward). Prior to the contract ending mid fiscal year we were able to provide screenings at all of the above locations on a greater scale in addition to providing screenings at Lemon Creek Correctional (Juneau), Mat-Su Pretrial (Palmer), Wildwood Correctional Center (Kenai), Palmer Correction (until the facility’s closure in October), and Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional (Bethel). Assessment Offenders receive a substance use disorder assessment to assess for their addiction related issues and determine the most appropriate level of care/intensity of service to best address their issues. Each assessment includes the nature and extent of an offender’s drug problems; establishes whether problems exist in other areas that may affect recovery, helps form an appropriate treatment plan; and uses American Society of Addictions Medicine (ASAM) criteria and DSM 5 to determine the level of care placement. Starting FY2016, assessment services were expanded to all DOC facilities (exception Ketchikan Correctional Center) and to all the DOC community programs (located in Anchorage, Palmer, Fairbanks, Kenai, and Juneau). In FY17, ADOC used a combination of resources to provide assessments: July to December, 2016 we had a statewide contract to provide assessments at all facilities with the exception of Ketchikan. After the contracted ended DOC hired substance abuse counselors and local community providers on a fee for service basis to provide assessments starting in January 2017 at Anchorage Correctional, Anvil Mountain Correctional (Nome), Goose Creek Correctional (Wasilla), Hiland Mountain Correctional (Eagle River), Wildwood Correctional (Kenai), and Spring Creek Correctional (Seward). After January 2017, we were unable to continue providing assessments in community programs and at Fairbanks Correctional, Lemon Creek Correctional (Juneau), and Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional (Bethel). Institutional Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) Level 3.5 Residential treatment services use a modified therapeutic community (TC) model of treatment. TC’s use a combination of counseling, group therapy, and peer activities to promote multi-dimensional change of the whole person including drug abstinence, elimination of antisocial behavior, and the development of prosocial behavior, attitudes and values. Studies find that TC participants show improvements in substance use, criminal behavior and mental health symptoms. Additionally, they provide a cost effective way to decrease substance use and improve public safety. ADOC has focused on providing two RSATs, one male program and one female program for a total of three locations. Starting in FY16 the programs began using gender specific evidence based curriculum. The male program uses New Directions and Living in Balance for their curriculum. The female program uses Moving On and Criminal Conduct and Substance Abuse Treatment. Both male and female RSATs are about six months long and require 25 hours of group per week plus individual sessions. In FY17 prior to contract ending RSAT services were provided at Spring Creek Correctional (Seward), Hiland Mountain Correctional (Eagle River) and a combination of Palmer Correctional until the facility closed in October 2016 and was relocated to Goose Creek Correctional. After the contract ended in December 2016, participants who were already enrolled in the Spring Creek program were afforded the opportunity to finish their program which restarted in mid- January. Participants from Goose Creek who were eligible and willing to continue their program were either transferred to Spring Creek Correctional to complete their program or reviewed for furlough to a community treatment provider. Some participants were not eligible for transfer nor were they able to furlough to a community provider but if they are still incarcerated they will be reviewed as a top priority in FY18.Female participants in Hiland Mountain program were reviewed for eligibility for furlough and or a step down to a lower level of care such as the IOPSAT program which reopened at Hiland in January 2017. The Department made reasonable efforts to recruit short term non perm employees to resume the RSAT at Hiland in January but struggled to find qualified staff. Intensive Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment (IOPSAT) Level 2.1 IOPSAT provides a planned regimen of treatment, consisting of regularly scheduled sessions within a structured program that uses evidenced based interventions. Within the AKDOC, IOPSATs are about 15 weeks long and individuals are provided 15 hours of group per week plus individual sessions. The female IOPSAT program uses gender specific curriculum, Criminal Conduct and Substance Abuse Treatment. The male program uses New Directions and Living in Balance. Prior to the contract ending mid fiscal year (FY17) the IOPSAT program was provided at Fairbanks Correctional, Goose Creek Correctional, Lemon Creek Correctional, Wildwood Correctional and Hiland Mountain Correctional. It was also provided in the following communities: Anchorage, Palmer and Fairbanks, Juneau, and Kenai. After the contract ended we provided IOPSAT at Goose Creek Correctional and Hiland Mountain Correctional using DOC short term non perm employees. Incarcerated participants were reviewed for eligibility to transfer to an institution that could continue their treatment or were reviewed for furlough opportunities to complete their programs with a community provider. In June 2017, the Hiland Mountain counselor resigned after all of the participants had completed their program. The decision was made that the program would not reopen to accept new participants until a new contractor was secured in October 2017. Dual Diagnosis Intensive Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment (IOPSAT-DD) Level 2.1 In addition to standard IOPSAT programming, there are two Dual Diagnosis IOPSAT programs; one for males and one for females. Dual diagnosis (DD) is when the offender has a mental health and substance use disorder diagnosis. This program uses the Hazelden New Direction Curriculum to include the dual diagnosis module and workbook. This program is 19 weeks in duration and includes both group and individual counseling sessions. In FY17 the DD program encountered several challenges related to delays in startup and recruitment and retention of qualified staff. At the beginning of the fiscal year, the DD program was located at Palmer Correctional but was relocated to Goose Creek Correctional when the facility closed in October. The other DD program was originally located at Spring Creek Correctional but closed in September when the staff person resigned. In October 2016, the program moved from Spring Creek to Hiland Mountain Correctional to allow program access to female offenders. The program opened in late October 2016 but was closed in December due to the contract ending. The females that enrolled in the program in October were able to finish the program with the Department’s mental health clinicians. Psychoeducational Substance Abuse Services PsychEd is a program which explores and addresses any problems or risk factors that appear to be related to use of alcohol, tobacco, and/ or other drugs and addictive behaviors and helps the individual to recognize the harmful consequences of high-risk use or behavior. The target population is the un-sentenced offender who has screened as potentially having an alcohol or drug problem. PsychEd meets twice a week for 1.5 hours for six weeks and uses Hazelden’s evidence based Living in Balance curriculum. In FY2016, the legislature expressed interest in expanding services to pretrial offenders. The Department responded to this interest and opened the above described pretrial program known as PsychEd. In FY16 the program was originally located at Yukon Kuskokwim (Bethel), Anvil Mountain (Nome), Matsu Pretrial, Goose Creek, and Hiland Mountain, and Anchorage Correctional Complexes. In FY17, new locations were added to include Wildwood Correctional Center and Fairbanks Correctional Complex. However all program closed in December 2016 when the contract ended. Continuing Care Continuing Care services (also known as aftercare) are a vital piece to the continuum of care. This program uses an outpatient model that is evidenced based and focus on relapse prevention skills to help clients address their high-risk factors. The program targets offenders who had previously completed a treatment program while incarcerated but is also open to those who had completed a program in the community but needed extra support. In FY17, the program was located in the Anchorage, Fairbanks and Palmer community. The Fairbanks and Palmer community programs closed in September 2016. The Anchorage program was very successful and had a sufficient waitlist indicating a need but closed when the contract ended in December 2016. |
Target #2: Increase the number of offenders who receive a General Education Development (GED) diploma while incarcerated.
Number of Offenders Who Receive General Education Development While Incarcerated
Analysis of results and challenges: The Department of Corrections increased the number of offenders earning their General Education Development (GED) while incarcerated during FY2017. The Department of Corrections is the 3rd. largest contributor of successful adult GED completions in the State of Alaska. There was an expected increase in offenders earning their GED since the agency increased its tutoring and prioritized its Administration of the GED Ready Test’s. Increasing the Administration of GED Ready Tests enhanced the offenders’ abilities to familiarize while navigating 7 different computer item types. 1. Extended response 2. Drag-and-drop 3. Drop-down 4. Fill in the Blank 5. Hot Spot 6. Multiple Choices 7. Short Answer Students also have to attend computer lab training in order to meet the benchmark typing skill of 40 words a minute in preparation to the timed GED tests. Each institution provides offenders with education coordinators and the necessary materials to study for and complete the GED computer testing process. Offenders have the opportunity to obtain a GED diploma, however, in most cases this program is voluntary and/or the time an offender has to serve may be insufficient to complete all four tests impacting the offender participation while incarcerated. However, the efficiency of the computer testing has allowed a better feedback and follow-up data collection system for offenders that do not complete all four GED tests while incarcerated. This capability has fostered greater state wide collaboration with regional testing sites to continue and complete the returning citizens’ GED testing. The Department of Corrections is expected to increase the number of GED diplomas for FY 2018. |
Target #3: Increase the number of sex offender probationers who complete both a sex offender management program and who receive polygraph testing while on probation.
Number of Polygraphed Sex Offender Probationers
Analysis of results and challenges: During FY 2017, the use of the polygraph examinations was conducted statewide in all Probation & Parole Offices that supervise sex offenders. A total of 475 convicted sex offenders on community supervision and institutional sex offender treatment participated in a total of 736 polygraph exams. Of the 475 sex offenders on community supervision who participated in the sex offender management program, nine (9) offenders were arrested and charged with new felony sexual charges. Eight (8) have new non-sexual felony charges. One (1) has a pending new misdemeanor charge of Indecent Exposure. Thirty-eight (38) other offenders were charged/or convicted of a new misdemeanor offenses with charges ranging from driving offenses, domestic violence, driving under the influence and drug offenses. In addition, there were also 201 petitions to revoke probation filed against participants in the program involving underlying sexual breaches (near minors, viewing pornography, etc.) and general condition violations of probation/parole. This increase is due to a better collecting method than in previous years. This data indicates the success of this program in assisting probation officers with intervening prior to the commission of a new sexual offense and ensuring public safety. As it is for many community-based programs and services, Alaska’s geography and identification of qualified providers will continue to be a major challenge in statewide program operations. |
Current as of October 11, 2017