Legislature(2023 - 2024)BUTROVICH 205
02/10/2023 01:30 PM Senate JUDICIARY
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Consideration of Governor's Appointee: Commissioner, Department of Corrections | |
| Presentation: Department of Corrections Overview | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE JUDICIARY STANDING COMMITTEE
February 10, 2023
1:31 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Matt Claman, Chair
Senator Jesse Kiehl, Vice Chair
Senator James Kaufman
Senator Cathy Giessel
Senator Löki Tobin
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CONFIRMATION HEARING:
Commissioner -Department of Corrections
Jennifer L. Winkelman - Juneau
- CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
PRESENTATON: DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS OVERVIEW
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
Jennifer Winkelman, Commissioner-Designee
Department of Corrections
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as Commissioner-Designee for the
Department of Corrections and provided the Department of
Corrections Overview.
BOBBY DORTON, Reentry Coalition
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in favor of Commissioner-Designee
Winkelman.
APRIL WILKERSON, Deputy Commissioner
Office of the Commissioner
Department of Corrections
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Responded to questions about the Department
of Corrections overview.
ADAM RUTHERFORD, Acting Director
Division of Health and Rehabilitation Services
Department of Corrections
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Responded to questions about the Department
of Corrections overview.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:31:21 PM
CHAIR MATT CLAMAN called the Senate Judiciary Standing Committee
meeting to order at 1:31 p.m. Present at the call to order were
Senators Kaufman, Giessel, Tobin, Kiehl and Chair Claman.
^Consideration of Governor's Appointee: Commissioner, Department
of Corrections
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S)
COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
1:31:59 PM
CHAIR CLAMAN announced the consideration of the Confirmation
Hearing for Commissioner-Designee Jennifer Winkelman, Department
of Corrections.
1:32:40 PM
JENNIFER WINKELMAN, Commissioner-Designee, Department of
Corrections, Juneau, Alaska, directed the committee to her
resume. She offered a prepared statement. She was born and
raised in Fairbanks, Alaska. Her great grandmother was born in
Chicken, Alaska. She graduated from the University of Alaska,
Fairbanks with a degree in paralegal studies and injustice. She
highlighted participation in an internship at the Fairbanks
District Attorney's Office where she learned about work done by
probation and parole officers. The internship led to her career
as a probation officer.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN informed the committee that she
was hired as an entry-level probation officer 22 years ago.
During her time as a probation officer, she supervised a variety
of offices throughout the state. She moved to Juneau in 2016
when she accepted the Chief Probation Officer position for
Region II. In 2018, she was appointed as the Director of the
Division of Pretrial Probation and Parole. She held the position
until Governor Dunleavy presented the commissioner opportunity.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN explained to the committee that
she values relationships. She is a problem solver and has
managed a caseload of felony offenders. She tackles tough
decisions fairly and impartially. These skills are critical for
the commissioner of the Department of Corrections. She opined
that reentry must be treated with the same importance as
incarceration. She spoke to the importance of the health and
wellbeing of her staff. Healthier staff have a greater systemic
impact. She highlighted her goal for inmates to leave the
correctional system healthier than they arrived.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN stated that the department saw
18 deaths in 2022: 11 via natural causes and 7 by suicide. She
spoke about the increases in suicide seen in correctional
facilities. She informed the committee that all newly booked
individuals are screened for trauma history and suicide risk.
She pointed out that Project 2025 guides suicide prevention
within the department. The National Commission on Correctional
Healthcare partnered with the American Foundation for Suicide
Prevention with the goal of reducing suicide by 20 percent by
2025. She mentioned various changes in correctional facilities
that allow for better tracking of the vulnerable population. She
stressed the importance of community involvement. She stated
that she was honored to serve in this critical position.
1:43:01 PM
SENATOR TOBIN asked about continuing education opportunities for
incarcerated individuals.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN responded that the Division of
Health and Rehabilitation Services (HARS) managed the education
and reentry programs. The division collaborates with other
reentry coalitions about education options.
1:44:38 PM
SENATOR KAUFMAN thanked Commissioner-Designee Winkelman for the
recent conversation related to improvement concepts.
SENATOR KIEHL pointed to Commissioner-Designee Winkelman's
extensive probation, parole and pretrial experience, but he
wondered about her level of expertise with staff challenges.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN responded that she had exposure
working in both sentenced and unsentenced facilities. She
reported exposure to correction officers along with medical,
kitchen and maintenance staff. She prioritized visiting every
facility as acting commissioner since May 2022. She sought
connection with staff to understand their strengths and
struggles. Each facility is different and has unique challenges.
She stressed her wish to see people leave the correctional
facilities better than they arrived.
1:48:15 PM
SENATOR KIEHL appreciated hearing about the statewide visits. He
asked for an example of a tool that a correctional officer might
require, aside from adequate staffing.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN replied that adequate staffing
and housing came to mind first. She noted the deficiencies in
training opportunities. With a full staff, the department can
spare employees for educational opportunities.
1:50:03 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL stated that she visited with Commissioner-
Designee Winkelman earlier in her office and had no further
questions.
CHAIR CLAMAN asked Commissioner-Designee Winkelman's perspective
on the state's status as a unified correction system. He asked
her to explain unified correction systems.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN replied that the distinction
lies with having a sentenced and unsentenced population under
one roof. She stated that the unsentenced population has a
short-time mindset, which leads to less personal investment in
the correctional facility. The sentenced population responds
differently because the facility is considered a long-term home.
CHAIR CLAMAN understood that state unified systems pertain to a
lack of county jails. In other states, the presentenced
population is in the county jails.
CHAIR CLAMAN asked if the department experienced recruiting and
retention challenges.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN replied that the overall DOC
vacancy rate was 13 percent, but some facilities had higher
rates than others.
CHAIR CLAMAN asked about prior legislation addressing tablets
and computers in prison for the purpose of education and
preparation for reentry. He asked how the department perceived
similar legislation this session.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN replied that the department
continues to support the proposed legislation related to tablets
and computers for educational purposes in correctional
facilities.
1:54:05 PM
CHAIR CLAMAN opened public testimony.
1:54:27 PM
BOBBY DORTON, Reentry Coalition, Fairbanks, Alaska, spoke about
his experience with incarceration in Alaska. He explained to the
committee that those who arrested him turned out to be his
biggest supporters. He stated support for Commissioner-Designee
Jennifer Winkelman. He shared that he was released from prison
five years ago following an eight-year sentence. He mentioned
his work lobbying the legislature for inmate identification (ID)
while helping prepare eligible inmates for reentry. He currently
works for the Tanana Chiefs Conference creating reentry
programs. Additionally, he works as a substance abuse
counsellor.
1:57:22 PM
CHAIR CLAMAN closed public testimony and solicited a motion.
1:57:36 PM
SENATOR KIEHL stated that in accordance with AS 39.05.080, the
Senate Judiciary Committee recommends the appointment be
forwarded to a joint session for consideration.
Commissioner -Department of Corrections
Jennifer L. Winkelman Juneau
CHAIR CLAMAN reminded the committee that signing the reports
regarding appointments to boards and commissions in no way
reflects individual members' approval or disapproval of the
appointees; the nominations are merely forwarded to the full
legislature for confirmation or rejection.
^PRESENTATION: Department of Corrections Overview
PRESENTATION: DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS OVERVIEW
1:58:19 PM
CHAIR CLAMAN announced the consideration of the Department of
Corrections overview.
1:58:43 PM
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN presented the Department of
Corrections Overview. She began with slide 2, "Mission and Core
Services."
• Mission: To provide secure confinement, reformative
programs, and a process of supervised community
reintegration to enhance the safety of our communities
• Department FY2024 Positions: 2,109 PFT
• Department FY2024 Budget Request: *$419,410.9
2:00:14 PM
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN moved to slide 3, "DOC at a
Glance."
• Alaska is one of seven states that operate a unified
correctional system. A state unified system is one in
which there is an integrated state-level prison and
jail system.
• DOC booked 27,748 offenders into its facilities in
FY2022
• 16,978 were unique offenders
• 660 were non-criminal Title 47 bookings
• As of January 1, 2023, DOC was responsible for 10,748
individuals
• 4,404 offenders in jail or prison
• 191offenders on sentenced electronic monitoring
(EM)
• 339 offenders in community residential centers
(CRCs)
• 3,163 offenders on probation or parole
• 2,651 defendants on pretrial supervision (1,864
on pretrial EM)
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN continued with slide 4,
"Organizational Chart."
• Commissioner's Office
• Division of Institutions
• Division of Health and
• Rehabilitation Services
• Division of Pretrial, Probation and Parole
• Division of Administrative Services
• Parole Board
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN continued with slide 5,
"Division of Institutions."
• Institution Director's Office
o Inmate Time Accounting
o Chaplaincy Program
o Prison Rape Elimination Act Oversight
o Inmate Grievance Resolution
o Security Threat Group
• Inmate Transportation and Point of Arrest
o Inmate Medical Transports
o Inmate Housing Transports
o K-9 Unit
o Point of Arrest
• Classification and Furlough
o Inmate Classification
o Inmate Furlough
• 13 Correctional Centers
• 7 Community Residential Centers (CRC)
o 5 Locations
• 6 Sentenced Electronic Monitoring (EM)
Offices
• Out-of-State
o Medical and Separatee placements
2:04:59 PM
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN moved to slide 6, "Facility
Capacity." The graph depicts the institutional capacity and jail
locations. The yellow bar represents the general capacity, while
the red bar represents the maximum capacity. She credited
department efforts to operate below the general capacity. She
opined that operating at lower capacity contributes to employee
and inmate wellness and safety.
CHAIR CLAMAN asked about maximum versus lower-security prison
sites.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN replied that Spring Creek and
Lemon Creek are the state's maximum-security facilities. Medium
facilities include Goose Creek and Wildwood. She pointed out the
growing unsentenced population at Goose Creek.
CHAIR CLAMAN asked about structural challenges at the Lemon
Creek Facility.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN responded that the Lemon Creek
facility had issues with wall cracks due to ground-settling and
water damage. Several inmates were relocated to vacant facility
beds. She explained to the committee that the Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF) oversaw the repair
and construction project. She visited the site yesterday and the
building is stable, and the drainage problems are resolved. The
walls require repair, which is slated for a future project.
CHAIR CLAMAN asked about a possible capital request relating to
construction and repair efforts.
2:07:51 PM
APRIL WILKERSON, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Corrections,
Juneau, Alaska, replied that the department submitted a
supplemental budget request for $9.5 million. The supplemental
budget request supports the stabilization and construction of
the Lemon Creek facility. Conversations with the Division of
Risk Management show the promise of another funding source. The
engineers report led to additional sources of funding for
construction and repairs.
CHAIR CLAMAN asked if Lemon Creek requires a rebuild.
MS. WILKERSON replied that the department sought to avoid new
construction for five to fifteen years.
2:09:18 PM
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN continued with the presentation
and slide 7, "Prison Population by Legal Status." She spoke
about the unsentenced prison population. She commented on
potential reasons for the increases seen in the unsentenced
population. She theorized that law changes, the Covid-19
pandemic, and more serious cases contribute to increases in the
unsentenced population.
2:10:32 PM
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN pointed to slide 8, "Prison
Population by Offense Class." She highlighted that crimes
against a person comprise the largest slice of the pie chart at
28 percent. The chart depicts registerable sex offenses in a
separate slice at 18 percent.
2:11:31 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked about people with multiple charges in the
pie chart designation.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN replied that the most serious
crime is shown on the pie chart. She offered the committee
additional data upon request.
2:12:17 PM
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN moved to slide 9, "Division of
Health and Rehabilitation." She explained that the department
had a statutory obligation to provide healthcare to offenders in
custody. The Health and Rehabilitation Services (HARS) provides
timely access to essential care through an evidence-based
multidisciplinary approach. The department adheres to guidelines
established by the National Commission on Correctional
Healthcare (NCCHC). Substance abuse and sex offender programming
falls under the HARS umbrella. The reentry unit is also staffed
within HARS.
• Health & Rehabilitation Director's Office
o Medical Oversight
o Medicaid Assistance
• Physical Health Care
o Medical
o Dental
• Behavioral Health Care
o Mental Health Services
o Assess Plan Identify & Coordinate (APIC)
o Institutional Discharge Planning Plus (IDP+)
• Substance Abuse
o Assessment
o Residential Treatment
o Institutional Out-Patient Treatment
• Sex Offender Management
o Polygraph
o Institutional Sex Offender Program
o Community Sex Offender Program
• Domestic Violence Program
o Batterer's Intervention Program
• Reentry & Recidivism Unit
o Offender Reentry
o Community Coordination
• Education/Vocational Programs
o Basic Adult Education
o Apprenticeship Training
o Vocational Training
2:14:17 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked about the thorough screening provided at an
inmate booking. He asked about the components of the initial
screening.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN directed the question to the
HARS director.
2:15:05 PM
ADAM RUTHERFORD, Acting Director, Health and Rehabilitation,
Anchorage, Alaska, responded that the department utilized a
variety of screening options. Initial screening components
include basic healthcare needs, addiction needs, risk of self-
harm and other evidence-based screening tools recommended by
NCCHC. The screenings identify those with the greatest risk.
Many screening tools rely on self-reporting. Medical records are
requested from previous providers to corroborate the self-
reported data. He mentioned the benefits of the new electronic
health record system. He offered to provide the committee with
additional details about inmate initial health screens.
SENATOR KIEHL appreciated the offer. He looked forward to
reviewing the health screen details.
2:16:41 PM
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN continued with slide 10,
"Division of Pretrial, Probation and Parole." She spoke about
the history of blending the Division of Probation and Parole
with the Pretrial Enforcement Division.
• Probation and Parole Director's Office
o Victim Service Unit
• Pretrial Services
o Assessments
o Supervision
o Pretrial Electronic Monitoring
• Statewide Probation and Parole
o 13 regional locations
o Probation Accountability with Certain
Enforcement
o Pre-Sentencing Unit
o Interstate Compact
• 15 Regional and Community Jails
o Bristol Bay Borough
o City of Cordova
o City of Craig
o City of Dillingham
o City of Haines
o City of Homer
o City of Kodiak
o City of Kotzebue
o North Slope Borough
o City of Petersburg
o City of Seward
o City of Sitka
o City of Unalaska
o City of Valdez
o City of Wrangell
2:19:17 PM
CHAIR CLAMAN asked about the size of community and regional
jails.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN responded that many community
and regional facilities are quite small while others like Seward
and the North Slope Borough are larger and busier.
CHAIR CLAMAN asked if the regional and community jails house the
pretrial population exclusively.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN replied yes.
2:19:58 PM
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN continued with slide 11, "Board
of Parole." She highlighted two primary functions of the fully
autonomous board. The board points to the commissioner's office.
The board's primary functions include processing applications,
holding hearings, approving or denying parole, and handling
violations.
• Board of Parole
• Discretionary Parole
• Mandatory Parole
• Special Medical Parole
• Geriatric Parole
• Executive Clemency Program
• Parole Board Members
• Leitoni Matakaiongo Tupou, Chair
• Sarah Possenti, Vice Chair
• Steve Meyer, Member
• Jason Wilson, Member
• Ole Larson, Member
2:21:02 PM
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN moved to slide 12, "Division of
Administrative Services." She noted that the division oversees
various statewide services.
• Administrative Services
• Budget and Finance
• Inmate Banking
• Auditing and Internal Controls
• Alaska Police Standards Council (APSC)
• Construction Procurement and Space Liaison
• Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device
Certification
• Information Technology
• Alaska Corrections Offender Management
System
• Inmate Law Library
• Inmate Technology Support
• Research and Records
• Permanent Fund Dividend Eligibility
• Determination/Appeals
• Research and Reporting
• Criminal Justice Information Security
• Data Management
• Web Page
• Inmate DNA Collections and Tracking
• Facilities Capital Unit & OSHA Compliance
• Management Renovation, Repairs, and
• Construction Management
• OSHA Compliance and Oversight
2:22:11 PM
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN continued with slide 13, "Office
of the Commissioner." She highlighted the crucial partnerships
related to the training academy.
• COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE's Office
• Constituent Relations
• Compliance Standards
• Inmate ADA Grievances
• Public Information
• Policy and Procedures
• Employee Wellness Program
• Human Resources
• Recruitment and Retention
• Recruitment Outreach
• Applicant Assistance
• Officer Medical Reimbursement
• Recruitment Incentive Leave Program
• Correctional Officer Seniority Tracking
• Office Of The Commissioner-Designee
• Training Academy
• Basic Officer Training
• Field Officer Training
• Prisoner Transportation Officer Training
• Firearm / Taser Training and Certification
• Municipal Officer Academy
• Offender Time Accounting
• Use of Force
• Methods of Instruction
CHAIR CLAMAN asked about the frequency of the training academy.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN replied that the department
offers three correctional training academies a year. Two
probation training academies are scheduled annually. The
frequency depends on staffing and recruitment.
2:23:32 PM
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN moved to slide 14, "Positions by
Category." She stated that the department faced workforce
shortages. She spoke about cultural changes within the
facilities. She spoke about solutions including housing
incentives, and temporary placement options. She stressed that
retention plays a role in staffing shortages. The incentives are
established with retention in mind. She spoke about a new
traveling unit created to fill staffing needs and allow
employees time off. She detailed the preferred-shift incentives.
2:26:28 PM
SENATOR KAUFMAN asked for more information about the use of
trustees for labor and skill-building purposes.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN replied that the department
utilizes the inmate population to perform a variety of stipend
jobs. She pointed out that the inmates at the Lemon Creek
facility do the laundry for the Alaska Marine Highway System.
2:28:07 PM
CHAIR CLAMAN asked about the term "trustee" that Senator Kaufman
used. He wondered if the term was used in the Alaska Prison
System.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN replied no, but she understood
the meaning of the term.
2:28:35 PM
SENATOR KIEHL wondered if filled positions exceed budgeted
positions for the medical and mental health category.
MS. WILKERSON replied that the vacancies within the medical and
mental health unit were currently filled with private sector
providers. She stated that some positions are "double filled,"
which exceeds the budgeted capacity. Recruitment is a lengthy
process and utilizing the double fillstrategy allows for
pending separations or transfers.
SENATOR KIEHL asked about the difficulties or opportunities
related to specialized medical and mental health providers.
MS. WILKERSON asked if he was referring specifically to medical
and mental health positions.
SENATOR KIEHL replied yes. He repeated the question.
MR. RUTHERFORD responded that health provider recruitment is
extremely difficult. He spoke about remaining competitive in an
ever-changing world. He stated that most medical professionals
prefer working in hospitals to correctional facilities. He
complimented his staff for serving the inmate population.
2:32:48 PM
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN moved to slide 15, "Goals and
Objectives."
• Health and Well Being of Staff
• Inmates, Defendants and Probationer/Parolees
leave us better than when they entered the system
• Identifying Efficiencies and Resources to Reduce
Recidivism
SENATOR TOBIN asked about the department feedback loop. She
wondered why the culture shift was necessary.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN responded that she relied
heavily on feedback from well-respected sources. She believed
that building relationships with reentry coalitions and the
Alaska Mental Health Trust would provide additional feedback.
She added that staff provide exceptional feedback via exit
interviews. She believed that formalizing the exit interview
process would help shift the culture further.
2:37:13 PM
SENATOR KAUFMAN appreciated his recent conversation with
Commissioner-Designee Winkelman.
CHAIR CLAMAN asked about visitation suspension during the Covid-
19 pandemic. He wondered if inmate visitation had resumed.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE WINKELMAN replied that visitation had
resumed, which was beneficial for both inmates and staff.
2:39:45 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Claman adjourned the Senate Judiciary Standing Committee
meeting at 2:39 PM.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Commissioner of Corrections Appointment - Jennifer Winkelman Resume 2.10.2023.pdf |
SJUD 2/10/2023 1:30:00 PM |
|
| UPDATED Department of Corrections Overview Presentation to Senate Judiciary 2.10.2023.pdf |
SJUD 2/10/2023 1:30:00 PM |