NCJ Number
133694
Journal
Alaska Justice Forum Volume: 8 Issue: 2 Dated: (Summer 1991) Pages: 1,4-6,8
Date Published
1991
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Research conducted during the summer of 1990 focused on problems of social control and dispute resolution in five Alaska villages and on patterns of reported crime.
Abstract
Data were obtained from incident files maintained by Alaska State Troopers. Some files reflected investigations of suicides, fatal accidents, or natural deaths, while others detailed assistance provided to the local police department. Files of incidents reported from five Athabascan villages in Central Alaska indicated that disputes were taken care of within the family or through traditional means. The formal reporting channel for villages was the Village Public Safety Officer (VPSO) who represented law enforcement. The formal procedure was for VPSO's to report all felonies to Alaska State Troopers and to handle misdemeanors at the village level. Most of the crimes reported in the five villages were committed while under the influence of alcohol. Specifically, alcohol was involved in 95 percent of felonies and 72 percent of misdemeanors. The most common crime was fourth degree assault followed by other assaults, misconduct involving a weapon, criminal trespass, criminal mischief, sexual abuse of a minor, and third degree theft. Assaults totaled 33 percent of all reported incidents. Females were the victims in about 65 percent of all incidents. A weapon was used in only 47 criminal incidents. The level of criminal activity differed among villages, but was high in comparison to Alaska statistics as a whole. 1 table