ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  JOINT MEETING  HOUSE JUDICIARY STANDING COMMITTEE  SENATE JUDICIARY STANDING COMMITTEE  February 12, 2003 1:18 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Lesil McGuire, Chair Representative Tom Anderson, Vice Chair Representative James Holm Representative Ralph Samuels Representative John Coghill Representative Les Gara Senator Ralph Seekins, Chair Senator Scott Ogan Senator Gene Therriault Senator Hollis French MEMBERS ABSENT  Representative Max Gruenberg Senator Johnny Ellis COMMITTEE CALENDAR OVERVIEWS: PUBLIC DEFENDER AGENCY, OFFICE OF PUBLIC ADVOCACY, DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TAPES  03-6, SIDE(S) A & B [House JUD tape; begins mid-sentence] CHAIR RALPH SEEKINS convened the joint meeting of the House Judiciary Standing Committee and the Senate Judiciary Standing Committee at 1:18 p.m. Present at the call to order from the House Judiciary Standing Committee were Representatives McGuire, Holm, and Samuels. Representatives Coghill, Anderson, and Gara arrived as the meeting was in progress. Present from the Senate Judiciary Standing Committee at the call to order was Senator Seekins. Senators Therriault, Ogan, and French arrived as the meeting was in progress. Senator Ellis was excused. SUMMARY OF INFORMATION  BARBARA BRINK, Director, Central Office, Public Defender Agency (PDA), Department of Administration (DOA), presented an overview of the need for, importance and role of Alaska's Public Defenders. She spoke of case and workload increases, eligibility guidelines for public assistance, and responded to questions regarding recidivism rates, the value of therapy treatments (especially alcohol and drug therapy), and therapeutic courts. BRANT McGEE, Public Advocate, Anchorage Office, Office of Public Advocacy (OPA), Department of Administration (DOA), presented an overview on the criminal, child, and adult protection services OPA provides. He spoke about the presence of the private sector, pro bono, and volunteer work in processing files, and about the prevalence of alcohol in nearly all child abuse and neglect cases. He also responded to questions regarding the need for offices in Palmer and Kenai and privatizing certain services. MARC ANTRIM, Commissioner, Department of Corrections (DOC), presented an overview of current prison issues and concerns. He spoke on probation officers' caseloads, prison population, facility and residential center counts, and existing rehabilitation programs in practice. Commissioner Antrim responded to questions regarding the rehabilitation program success data. ANNOUNCEMENTS  There were no announcements. COMMITTEE ACTION  The committee took no action. ADJOURNMENT  There being no further business before the committees, the joint meeting between the House Judiciary Standing Committee and the Senate Judiciary Standing Committee was adjourned at 3:05 p.m. NOTE: The meeting was recorded and handwritten log notes were taken. A copy of the tape(s) and log notes may be obtained by contacting the House Records Office at State Capitol, Room 3, Juneau, Alaska 99801 (mailing address), (907) 465-2214, and after adjournment of the second session of the 23 Alaska State Legislature this information may be obtained by contacting the Legislative Reference Library at (907) 465-3808.