Alaska Law Enforcement and Administrative Statistics Survey and Alaska Felony Charging Practices and Court Time To Disposition Study

The State Justice Statistics (SJS) Program is designed to maintain and enhance each state's capacity to address criminal justice issues through collection and analysis of data. The SJS Program provides support to each state to coordinate and conduct statistical activities within the state, conduct research to estimate impacts of legislative and policy changes, and serve as a liaison in assisting BJS to gather data from respondent agencies within their states.

The Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC) is located within the Justice Center at the University of Alaska-Anchorage (UAA). The AJSAC has been tasked to assist Alaska criminal justice agencies and state and local governments and officials by maintaining data and researching available information systems. They also provide advice and service related to technical and procedural problems involving statistical analysis of justice data while developing methods and conducting statistical analyses. Lastly, the AJSAC responds to requests for justice information and provides Alaska representation to several programs and offices of the U.S. Department of Justice and the Justice Research and Statistics Association (JRSA).

Under this award, the AJSAC will use funds for both a core capacity and special emphasis project.

Under the core capacity building area, the AJSAC will conduct the Alaska Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (AK LEMAS) Survey. The AJSAC’s indicates this survey will enhance the relationship and state’s capacity to provide criminal justice policymakers, practitioners, and the public with key information regarding the composition and operation of law enforcement agencies throughout Alaska. In all, the AJ SAC will use the AK LEMAS Survey to develop a comprehensive source of information pertaining to agency personnel, expenditures and pay, operations, community policing initiatives, equipment, computers and information systems, and written policies.

Under the special emphasis project, the AJSAC will conduct a study on state felony charging practices and court time to disposition. The project is the first of its kind in the state and will assist in understanding the administrative and financial challenges that impose a strain on the efficiency of the Alaskan criminal justice process. While relevant enough to be individually studied, the projects will be a collaborative effort on the part of the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC) to remain committed to evidence-based policy development and implementation. Ultimately, the state will use this study to establish a process to document felony charging practices, examine how charging practices impact the type of disposition, sentencing, and court disposition time, and to understand how these dynamics play out in domestic violence cases. (CA/NCF)

Note: This project contains a research and/or development component, as defined in applicable law.