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DOC: 14 regional community jails remain underfunded after updated standards; gap about $3 million
Summary
At a Feb. 18 subcommittee hearing, DP3 officials said they updated community jail standards for the first time since the 1990s and that 14 regional jails present a roughly $3 million funding gap this fiscal year; department and lawmakers discussed options including supplemental funding or legislative add-ons.
During the Feb. 18 meeting of the House Finance Department of Corrections Subcommittee, Dusty Dumont, director of the Division of Pretrial, Probation and Parole, and April Wilkerson, deputy commissioner of the Department of Corrections, told legislators that funding for 14 contracted regional community jails remains short of their reported needs after updates to standards and a new funding formula.
Dumont said the DP3 team worked with the Alaska Municipal League and local jail communities to develop a formula “that is fair and equitable,” and that the division updated community jail standards for the first time since 1994. The division lists 14 regional community jails that provide about 141 beds across the state.
Wilkerson said the jails’ combined budget requests totaled roughly $12.0 million, while current funding in the department’s budget was about $9.2 million, leaving an approximate gap in the $3 million range. She told the committee the department hopes to move toward full funding, possibly with contract language that allows annual increases to meet operational needs. Wilkerson said full implementation of revised standards was targeted for July 1 and that a clearer picture of needs should emerge in FY26.
Why it matters: Many of Alaska’s regional jails are remote and serve communities without nearby state facilities; shortfalls shift costs to local jurisdictions that run these jails and can strain local budgets and operations.
What lawmakers asked and officials said: - Representative Hemshoo asked whether community jails are now “fully funded.” Wilkerson answered, “I would not.” - Lawmakers pressed whether the shortfall could be resolved in a supplemental budget or via legislative add-on. Wilkerson said both approaches have been used in the past and are options going forward. - Representative Reffridge asked why Homer appears on the list despite being on the road system; Wilkerson said community jails began as a revenue-sharing program tied to meeting standards and that Homer’s inclusion likely reflects convenience for local law enforcement and transfer practices.
Officials said the department and jails will continue work to finalize standards implementation and funding approaches, and that a clearer funding path should be available next fiscal year.
Speakers quoted or referenced in this report are listed in the speaker section below; quotes are verbatim from the committee hearing transcript.
