Safety
Thousands of Alaskans with mental and developmental disabilities are incarcerated each year because they do not get the services they need through Alaska’s treatment and support systems. Police and court responses are often the only available resolution to crises or to public displays of untreated mental health problems, when appropriate treatment to prevent or respond to these situations was either unavailable or inaccessible.
Alaska has a high rate of child abuse and domestic violence. Experiencing or even witnessing violence may result in developmental delays, emotional disorders and substance use disorder.24 Adults with cognitive or developmental disabilities are also vulnerable to neglect and abuse. State programs can assist in strengthening and re-building families, providing treatment, and providing guardianship for adults with mental impairments.
Filling the gaps in treatment and support services, both in communities and within the correctional system, can prevent crises that bring people with mental and developmental disabilities into contact with the criminal justice system and contribute to their repeated incarceration. Training for police, court and prison personnel can help divert many people into appropriate treatment in communities or provide effective treatment when people with mental health problems or developmental disabilities are unavoidably or necessarily incarcerated.
Safety Goal #1: Protect children and vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect, and exploitation
Indicators:
Childhood maltreatment has been linked to a variety of changes in brain structure and function and stress-responsive neurobiological systems.25 The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study provided evidence that adverse childhood experiences cast a major shadow on health and well-being in peoples’ lives even 50 years later. “Adverse childhood experiences” include repeated physical abuse; chronic emotional abuse; and growing up in a household where someone was alcoholic or a drug user; a member was imprisoned; a mother was treated violently; someone was mentally ill, chronically depressed, or suicidal; or parents were separated or divorced during childhood.26
Figure 7 represents the number of Alaska’s children who were substantiated with the DHSS Division of Children’s Services as victims of child abuse and neglect. Counted in this data are children who had a report of harm which was investigated and harm substantiated. The total number of substantiated reports of harm decreased between state fiscal year 2006 and state fiscal year 2007. In state fiscal year 2007 there were 8,746 alleged victims screened by OCS and 3,207 unique victims with allegations substantiated.
Figure WS-2 — Rate of Repeat Maltreatment of Children
Figure WS-2 shows the percentage of all children who were subjects of substantiated or unconfirmed reports of harm during the first 6 months of the year and who had another substantiated or unconfirmed report of harm within 6 months. In state fiscal year 2007, the rate of repeat maltreatment increased by three percent.
Reports of physical injury, sexual assault, and threats/injuries by weapon at school from 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey22.
According to the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the number of high school students reporting threats and sexual abuse has increased since 2003.
- 2003 Youth Risk Behavior Survey
- 4.1 percent of students did not go to school on one or more of the past 30 days because they felt unsafe at school or on their way to or from school.
- 8.1 percent of students have been physically forced to have sexual intercourse when they did not want to
- 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey
- 5.5 percent of students did not go to school on one or more of the past 30 days because they felt unsafe at school or on their way to or from school.
- 9.2 percent of students have been physically forced to have sexual intercourse when they did not want to.
Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Statistics, Fiscal Year 2007
The Alaska Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault funds a network of nineteen victim service programs in eighteen Alaska communities, collectively serving 235 communities throughout the state. During fiscal year 2007, they provided services to 7,511 clients. Twenty-eight percent of the clients were children and one percent were adults aged 60 and over. Services provided included 24-hour emergency support, safe shelter, crisis intervention, children’s services, food and clothing, referrals and many other services.
Table S-1 aggregates the field reports from victim service providers and shows the types of incidents experienced by the clients. The top three types of incidents were domestic violence, sexual abuse of children, and sexual assault toward adults.
Table S-1 — Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Fiscal Year 2006 Statistics
During fiscal year 2006, Alaska shelters provided services to 8,140 clients. 25% of the clients were children. Services include safe shelter, crisis intervention, food and clothing, referrals and many other services. Table S-1 aggregates the field reports from victim service providers and shows the types of incidents experienced by the clients. The top three types of incidents were domestic violence, sexual abuse of children, and sexual assault toward adults.
Figure WS-3 Percentage of Alaskan Adults who have Experienced Domestic Violence over their Lifetime
Figure WS-3 shows the percentage of participants in the most recently-available Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS)14 who responded that they had witnessed domestic violence in their family as a child, experienced physical violence from an intimate partner, or been sexually abused during their lifetime. In 2006, twenty-two percent of Alaskan adults had experienced physical violence from an intimate partner; nineteen percent had witnessed domestic violence as a child; and fourteen percent had experienced sexual abuse.
Adult Protective Services Reports of Harm
Alaska law defines vulnerable adults as persons 18 years of age or older who, because of a physical or mental impairment or condition, are unable to meet their own needs or to seek help without assistance.27 Adult Protective Services in the Department of Health and Social Services receives and investigates reports of harm. Harm includes abandonment, abuse, exploitation, and neglect (the most common report). More than half of the clients are female.
Adult Protective Services Investigations
- Total investigations FY 04: 1,173
- Total investigations FY 05: 1,497
- Total investigations FY 06: 1,668
- Total investigations FY 07: 1,78328
In fiscal year 2007, the Department of Health and Social Services was contacted about 1,982 people (unduplicated) for whom an investigation was possibly warranted; 90% of these intakes were investigated.
Figure WS-4 — Nonfatal Hospitalized Injuries due to Falls, Age 65+, Alaska and U.S.
The rate of falls requiring hospitalization for individuals age 65 and over is consistently higher in Alaska than it is in the U.S.43 Falls are the leading cause of nonfatal injury in the elderly and are Alaska’s leading cause of hospitalization for traumatic brain injury.44
Safety Goal #2: Prevent and reduce inappropriate or avoidable arrest, prosecution, incarceration and recidivism of persons with mental health problems or developmental disabilities through appropriate treatment and supports.
Percent of Incarcerated Alaskans (Adults) who are Trust Beneficiaries
Nationwide, people with mental illness and cognitive impairments have been over-represented in the criminal justice system compared to their prevalence in society. Of the adults incarcerated in the Alaska correctional system, approximately 42 percent are Trust beneficiaries, mostly with mental illness and/or substance abuse disorders, incarcerated for misdemeanors. By default, the Alaska Department of Corrections had become the largest provider of mental health services in the State of Alaska. Alaska has the highest growth rate for incarceration per capita in the USA.28
Statewide Criminal Recidivism Rates for Incarcerated Beneficiaries
Trust beneficiaries (36%) are more likely to recidivate than other offenders released from Alaska Department of Corrections (22% recidivism rate). Beneficiaries are also more likely to recidivate sooner and spend more time in ADOC custody. Inmates with severe mental illness were less likely to recidivate than inmates with mild mental illness or substance-related disorders who had a far higher rate of recidivism.28
Note: For more information, see Section IV. Justice for Persons with Disabilities Focus Area.
Other Result Area Topics
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