Corrections overview: commissioners cite staffing gains, parole workload and plans to expand programming

Juneau — The House Community and Regional Affairs Committee heard an agency overview Feb. 27 from the Alaska Department of Corrections (DOC) covering community supervision, parole board operations, administrative services and staffing challenges and responses.

"If we take care of the staff, I promise the rest will fall into place," Commissioner Jen Winkelman told the committee, summarizing her guiding principles for the agency.

Scope and organization

Winkelman and DOC leaders described the department’s Division of Pretrial, Probation and Parole (DP3), which supervises people on pretrial community supervision as well as people on probation and parole; the department’s 13 regional locations and 14 community jails; and the Parole Board, which is administratively attached to DOC but whose members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the legislature.

Parole board activity and revocations

Jeff Edwards, executive director of the Parole Board, said the board conducted 81 discretionary parole hearings in calendar year 2024 and granted about one‑third of those requests. He told members that the majority of parole revocations his office processes come from mandatory parole cases rather than discretionary parole grants; he reported that discretionary parole revocations account for roughly 6% of the revocations that reach the board.

The Parole Board meets monthly; hearings are a mix of in‑person and remote sessions, and board members are compensated for days and files reviewed and receive per diem and travel payments when they must travel.

Staffing, vacancies and hiring practices

DOC reported a department‑wide vacancy rate of roughly 10 percent at the time of the briefing and said vacancy rates vary by location. Commissioner Winkelman and Deputy Commissioner April Wilkerson highlighted recent recruitment work that DOC leaders credited with moving the correctional‑officer vacancy rate from about 17 percent to under 5 percent in roughly a year in many locations. The department said persistent gaps remain in some areas—Seward and Spring Creek were cited as sites with ongoing recruitment and housing challenges.

To reduce shortages and contract costs the department said it used a mix of tactics: an on‑the‑ground recruitment unit that helps applicants complete background paperwork; conditional job offers; temporary duty assignments to move staff to high‑need facilities; advanced‑step placement for difficult locations; and limited hiring incentives. Deputy Commissioner Wilkerson described a $10,000 hiring incentive for correctional officers structured in installments tied to hours worked and certification, with a payback clause if an employee leaves within the agreed period. DOC also uses on‑call staff in medical and mental‑health categories to ensure coverage while recruiting permanent hires.

Technology, programs and measures of success

DOC said it is piloting tablet devices at some institutions to expand access to programming, virtual medical appointments and virtual court hearings, which the department said can reduce transport costs and security risks. Commissioner Winkelman cited measurable outcomes she tracks: the vacancy rate for recruitment, the number of inmates completing GEDs and program participation. DOC reported 54 GED completions in the last fiscal year and said it was on pace to increase completions year‑to‑date.

Facilities, IT and procurement

Administration director Kevin Worley summarized administrative services work, listing responsibilities that include the Alaska Corrections Offender Management System (ACOMS), inmate banking, research and records and facilities and capital projects. DOC said aging facilities and necessary capital projects remain ongoing budgetary and operational concerns.

Parole, recidivism and data requests

Committee members asked about recidivism and the role parole plays in return‑to‑custody rates. Edwards said the board factors recidivism risk heavily into discretionary parole decisions and noted that most revocations seen by the board come from mandatory parole releases. Commissioner Winkelman and DOC staff said they would follow up with available reports, including the department’s offender profile and work by the state data analysis commission, to provide more granular data on supervision outcomes and violations.

Next steps, oversight and visits

Committee members praised the briefing and scheduled further contact. The committee also announced a planned site visit to Lemon Creek Correctional Center during committee time on March 6. DOC officials said they will share requested reports and data to inform the committee’s upcoming budget and policy work.