An intrastate case raised grand legal questions about poor, rural Alaskans’ access to the justice system. Yet it was also an exercise in budgetary semantics with almost no practical effect — except for running up publicly funded legal bills.
"Division of Juvenile Justice"
Former Johnson Youth Center superintendent sentenced for child porn
Dennis Weston worked in Juneau from 2005 through 2012 before moving to Anchorage’s McLaughlin Youth Center.
Juneau Juvenile Justice staff workload up since Ketchikan closure
The chief probation officer for Southeast Alaska says the biggest challenge since Ketchikan’s youth detention center closed has been getting the kids to Juneau. At times, there have been more kids than rooms and a staffing shortage.
Past crime rates give perspective on lower juvenile detention numbers
The number of kids being detained by the Division of Juvenile Justice has fallen by almost half in 10 years. Two juvenile crime experts say we have to remember a past crime wave to understand today’s lower numbers.
State says Ketchikan transfers won’t overburden Johnson Youth Center
As of Monday, the Ketchikan Youth Facility slated for closure had seven kids in it and the Johnson Youth Center had four.
Ketchikan youth detention facility to close Sept. 15
The Ketchikan Regional Youth Facility, a detention center for juvenile offenders, will close Sept. 15. The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services announced Monday that the closure will mean the loss of 15 jobs, and that Ketchikan-area youth who require detention now will be sent to Juneau.
The Blind Spot: beyond no-man’s land
We’ve been exploring holes in the safety net for teens struggling with drugs and alcohol. Now, we look toward solutions.