Facing rapid growth in the number of defendants held in custody while awaiting trial, Alaska implemented data-driven and evidence-based solutions to transform its pretrial system, freeing up resources to focus on identifying and mitigating risks defendants pose if released to the community and improving public safety.
In July of 2016, Gov. Bill Walker signed legislation overhauling the pretrial system, including requiring the use of a pretrial risk assessment tool, shifting from a primarily monetary bail system to a primarily risk-based system, and establishing a new division of the Department of Corrections to provide pretrial supervision.
The Crime and Justice Institute has provided technical assistance to leaders in Alaska throughout the process of developing and implementing pretrial solutions as part of a larger criminal justice improvement effort.
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