AlaskaCitizensForJustice

AlaskaCitizensForJustice supports balancing the scales of justice. We need all the help we can get and we know it will take the efforts of a lot of Alaskans. Most Alaskans have no idea how broken our justice system is until they are trapped within it.

We all expect justice and protection from criminals. In order to get that, we need to better support the law enforcement community.  Our first challenge is funding the new State Crime Lab. Currently, our crime lab is bursting at the seams with staff and evidence.  It can no longer function efficiently.  The staff has so much work that they prioritize and most of the time can only get to evidence from the most violent crimes. That means many criminals continue to roam our streets and continue to commit many more crimes.

The new crime lab design is complete and a site work was started.   Ground work is almost complete.  The crime lab is the foundation of the justice system.  Encourage the Adminstration to keep this project going.  We can't afford any delays.

The construction of the lab is creating jobs and will pour a lot of money into our economy.  It will ultimately make our streets safer and prevent a lot of pain.  It will save lives.  Studies show there is a 40% chance the burglaries and non-violent crimes are being committed by someone who has already committed violent crimes and perhaps even murder.  If they haven’t, there is an 80% chance that they eventually will commit a violent crime. That means 40% of these non-violent crime scenes could have evidence that would lead us to a match with evidence from a serious assault, rape or murder.  Our laws now allow us to collect DNA from all felony arrests.  We need to use this to our advantage and start balancing the scales of justice.

It is extremely important that the lab does not get delayed.  Justice delayed is justice denied. 

More funding should be directed towards the Department of Public Safety, and law enforcement manpower. We also need to revisit existing laws. For example, under the Constitution, victims are assured the right to "timely disposition of their cases". Currently, victims are not receiving this right. This needs to change. 

Other issues before congress are the lack of funding for the Adam Walsh Act (AWA).  Attempts are being made to weaken this bill.  Congressional hearings are taking place that would delay implementation and compliance by the states to register the sex offenders in their states.  Our voices must be heard.  But our priority for Alaska was the crime lab.