Prisons in Alaska – 18 Examples of Correctional Facilities

The state of Alaska, located in the northernmost part of the United States, has a unique prison system due to its remote location and harsh climate. Despite its sparse population, Alaska has several prisons that serve as correctional facilities for those who have committed crimes in the state.

In this article, we will provide a comprehensive list of the prisons in Alaska, including information on their locations, capacities, and security levels.

Whether you are interested in learning more about the state’s criminal justice system or are simply curious about the prisons in Alaska, this article will provide you with the information you need.

State Prisons

Prison Name	Location	Inmate Capacity	Security Levels	Gender
Anchorage Correctional Complex	Anchorage, AK	N/A	Various	Male
Anvil Mountain Correctional Center	Nome, AK	N/A	Minimum – Maximum	Male & Female
Fairbanks Correctional Center	Fairbanks, AK	N/A	II & IV	Male & Female
Goose Creek Correctional Center	Point MacKenzie, AK	1,050	Medium	Male
Hiland Mountain Correctional Center	Eagle River, AK	506	Various	Female
Ketchikan Correctional Center	Ketchikan, AK	N/A	Various	Male & Female
Lemon Creek Correctional Center	Juneau, AK	220	Maximum	Male & Female
Mat-Su Pretrial Facility	Palmer, AK	N/A	Unassigned	Male & Female
Palmer Medium and Minimum Correctional Centers	Palmer, AK	N/A	Medium & Minimum	Male & Female
Spring Creek Correctional Center	Seward	500+	Maximum security	Male
Wildwood Correctional Center	Kenai	360	Medium security	Male
Yukon-Kuskokwim CC	Bethel	200	N/A	Male & Female

Anchorage Correctional Complex

Anchorage Correctional Complex in Alaska provides inmates with a variety of self-help programs aimed at rehabilitation. Depending on the building they are housed in, inmates can access programs such as alcoholics anonymous, anger management courses, and various educational programs.

These programs include basic education, covering skills below a high school level, as well as GED programs for high school education and diplomas. Inmates are also able to take computer courses and resume writing classes, providing them with skills necessary for finding employment after their release.

The facility is committed to helping inmates prepare for life outside of prison and offers a range of resources to achieve this goal.

Anvil Mountain Correctional Center

Anvil Mountain Correctional Center is a correctional complex located in Alaska that houses both male and female inmates ranging from minimum to maximum custody levels. The facility offers a comprehensive range of programs for its inmates, including education and vocational studies.

Inmates can earn their GED while incarcerated and learn basic computer and typing skills. The vocational programs include courses in heater maintenance and repair, commercial driver’s license test preparation, first aid, and marine survival courses.

Anvil Mountain Correctional Center is dedicated to providing a wide range of educational opportunities to its inmates, helping to prepare them for successful reentry into society.

Fairbanks Correctional Center

Fairbanks Correctional Center, located in Fairbanks, Alaska, is a mixed custody facility that houses both level II and level IV inmates. The prison is made up of two-level II and level IV units, two segregation units, and a general population unit.

The security of the facility is maintained by two fences equipped with electronic detection systems, five armed guard towers, and patrol vehicles.

Inmates at Fairbanks Correctional Center have the opportunity to better themselves through various programs offered at the prison, such as GED courses, pre-release programs, substance abuse treatment, anger management, and parenting education.

Additionally, inmates can take courses in business and financial planning to further their education and skills.

Goose Creek Correctional Center

Goose Creek Correctional Center is a medium-security prison for men in Point MacKenzie, Alaska. Built by the Alaska Department of Corrections, the facility spans 435,000 square feet and cost $240 million to construct.

Since it began accepting prisoners in July 2012, it has been controversial for its cost, but it was designed to house all 1,050 state prisoners formerly housed out of state in private prisons in Colorado and Arizona.

The prison’s location in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley provides a secure environment for inmates and staff. Despite the controversy surrounding its cost, Goose Creek Correctional Center remains an important facility for the Alaska Department of Corrections in its efforts to house state prisoners.

Hiland Mountain Correctional Center

Hiland Mountain Correctional Center is a state-owned correctional facility located in Alaska. The facility is managed by the governor and the secretary and currently holds over 506 offenders, with inmates in all types of security levels.

The center is designed to help inmates accept their past and work towards a better future. It offers various programs, including the Alaska GED program, Anger Management, and Parenting Classes.

Additionally, the center provides practical skills training such as HVAC, auto repair, drywall, electrical, computer repair, and plumbing. Overall, Hiland Mountain Correctional Center aims to rehabilitate offenders and prepare them for their return to society.

Ketchikan Correctional Center

Ketchikan Correctional Center, located in Alaska, is a correctional facility that offers various programs to its inmates during their stay. Among the most popular programs offered by the institution are Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous, which provide assistance to those struggling with substance abuse.

The facility also provides basic adult education and GED programs, as well as computer and parenting classes. Inmates can also take a food handling course, which is part of the vocational programs offered by the center.

With its commitment to providing inmates with the tools necessary to succeed once they leave, Ketchikan Correctional Center plays an important role in the rehabilitation of its inmates.

Lemon Creek Correctional Center

Lemon Creek Correctional Center is a maximum security facility located in Alaska. With a little over 220 male and female inmates, this correctional center houses some of the most ruthless inmates in the state.

The majority of the inmates held here are convicted felons, while about a quarter of them are in the pre-trial phase of their judicial tour. The center serves as both a long-term facility for convicted felons and an initial intake and classification facility.

During the initial intake period, which can range from a few days to several weeks, inmates are usually unable to make phone calls or receive mail. Overall, Lemon Creek Correctional Center plays a vital role in the Alaskan justice system.

Mat-Su Pretrial Facility

Mat-Su Pretrial Facility is a correctional facility located in Alaska that houses offenders who are awaiting trial. As a result, the custody and classification levels of inmates may not have been established yet, leading to a mix of offenders.

The facility serves as a temporary housing for inmates while they await trial. Due to this, programs offered to inmates are shorter in duration, lasting only 3-8 days with intensive learning packed into long hours each day.

Inmates can take advantage of basic adult education courses, computer parenting, and budgeting courses, as well as communication and stress/anger management classes.

Palmer Medium and Minimum Correctional Centers

Palmer Correctional Center is a correctional facility in Alaska that houses both medium and minimum-security inmates. The facility offers various programs to help inmates rehabilitate, including substance abuse treatment and psychiatric treatments for acute disorders.

Additionally, there is a family violence intervention program and an outpatient sex offender treatment program, which is aimed at reducing the recidivism rate of sex offenders through group therapy.

The center also provides educational programs, including ABE and GED courses, as well as vocational studies in small engine repair, forklift operation, welding, and computer information/drafting courses. These programs are designed to equip inmates with new skills that will help them reintegrate into society after their release.

Spring Creek Correctional Center

Spring Creek Correctional Center is a maximum security prison located in Seward, Alaska. The facility was built in 1988 and is situated on approximately 328 acres of land surrounded by national parks.

It is designed as a decentralized campus and has a capacity for over 500 inmates and 97 correctional officers. The prison is located about 125 miles south of Anchorage and is responsible for housing some of the most dangerous criminals in Alaska.

The majority of the prisoners at Spring Creek are hard-core felons who have committed violent crimes such as murder and are likely to spend the rest of their lives in prison. However, the facility also houses inmates who have committed less serious crimes like assault and burglary, with sentences ranging from three to ten years.

Wildwood Correctional Center

The Wildwood Correctional Center in Alaska is a complex of correctional facilities that houses around 360 prisoners. It is located three miles north of Kenai and is under the jurisdiction of the Alaska Department of Corrections.

The complex consists of two buildings, Wildwood Correctional Center and Wildwood Pre-Trial Facility. Wildwood Correctional Center is a medium custody long-term facility that can accommodate 255 prisoners.

It primarily houses sentenced adult male felons and misdemeanors and also includes a correctional industries program. Wildwood Pre-Trial Facility, on the other hand, is a 113-bed facility that accommodates male and female adult felons and misdemeanors of all custody levels.

Yukon-Kuskokwim Correctional Center

Yukon-Kuskokwim Correctional Center is a correctional facility located in Bethel, Alaska. It houses both male and female inmates and has a capacity of around 200 inmates. Most of the inmates housed at the facility are short-term pretrial detainees.

The facility serves as an intake and classification center for the Alaska Department of Correction. Inmates at this facility are provided with one hour of outdoor recreation per day, weather permitting. Additionally, there are mental health and substance abuse programs available to aid in the offenders’ treatment.

Anger and stress management courses are also given to help inmates have a better sense of self-control. Pre-release and re-entry programs are in place to help offenders adjust to life outside of prison.

Juvenile Detention Centers

Prison Name	Location	Inmate Capacity	Security Levels	Gender
Bethel Youth Facility	Bethel, Alaska	23 (12 Detention, 11 Treatment)	Low	Male and Female
Fairbanks Youth Facility	Fairbanks, Alaska	27 (12 short-term detention, 15 long-term treatment)	Low	Male and Female
Johnson Youth Center	Juneau, Alaska	12 (Female only)	High	Female
Kenai Peninsula Youth Facility	Kenai, Alaska	Not specified	Not specified	Not specified
Mat-Su Youth Facility	Wasilla, Alaska	15	Not specified	Male and Female
McLaughlin Youth Center	Anchorage, Alaska	Not specified	Not specified	Male and Female

Bethel Youth Facility

The Bethel Youth Facility in Alaska is a detention and treatment center that houses twelve residents in its Detention Unit and eleven in its Treatment Unit. The facility recently underwent a renovation/expansion project, which will enhance the quality and scope of programs offered to the residents.

The majority of youth admitted to the facility are Alaska Native, and they come from various parts of Alaska, including Barrow, Nome, Kotzebue, Fairbanks, Bethel, and the 56 villages of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. The residents represent a range of offenses.

The BYF staff are committed to providing detention and treatment services that are culturally sensitive and supportive. They have formed partnerships with various community organizations, such as the Association of Village Council Presidents Community Partners program, Orutsararmiut Native Council’s Healthy Families Program, and YKHC Family, Infants and Toddlers Program.

Furthermore, the Treatment unit staff have collaborated with the Tundra Women’s Coalition, The City of Bethel, and local churches to provide meaningful community work services for the residents.

Fairbanks Youth Facility

The Fairbanks Youth Facility (FYF) is one of Alaska’s juvenile correctional facilities, with a capacity for 12 residents in short-term detention and 15 in long-term treatment. FYF has operated at roughly 65% capacity, allowing the facility to build vocational and transitional services more effectively.

The partnerships with the Fairbanks School District and the Community and Technical College at UAF have enabled the facility to provide classes in culinary arts, small-engine repair, First Aid/CPR, and the Construction Academy. The residents work towards educational achievement before release, either in the form of a high school diploma or a general equivalency degree.

The facility has been focusing on community partnerships over the past fifteen years, expanding its network of resources to prepare residents for success after release. Volunteer organizations like 4H, Fairbanks Food Bank, Big Brother Big Sisters, Tanana Chiefs Conference, the Workforce Initiative and Opportunity Act program, and others have been instrumental in this effort.

The facility recognizes that it must continue to establish meaningful partnerships to assist residents in achieving sustained success.

Johnson Youth Center

The Johnson Youth Center in Alaska is home to the Girl’s Treatment Unit (GTU), a secure facility that houses up to 12 female residents. The program is designed to provide a safe and gender-specific therapeutic environment for institutionalized female residents, with an average stay of 12 to 18 months.

GTU utilizes the Trauma Informed Effective Reinforcement System (TIERS), which is a gender-responsive and research-based model that reinforces positive and safe behaviors.

The program also focuses on individual treatment needs while maintaining the Division of Juvenile Justice’s Mission. The trained staff administer various assessments and screenings to ensure that the residents receive the necessary support to lead a successful and crime-free life.

Kenai Peninsula Youth Facility

The Kenai Peninsula Youth Facility in Alaska is a juvenile detention center that is committed to restorative justice principles. The facility serves the community by providing a safe and secure environment for juvenile offenders who are awaiting trial, disposition, or placement.

The focus of the facility’s services is on advancing educational goals, physical and mental health, life skills education, victim empathy, substance abuse education, and other activities designed to promote healthy lifestyle choices and good decision-making abilities.

The facility’s services aim to promote offender accountability, skill development, and restoration of communities and victims. The Kenai Peninsula Youth Facility is dedicated to ensuring that the residents receive the support they need to become productive and responsible members of society.

Mat-Su Youth Facility

The Mat-Su Youth Facility is a secure detention program located in Alaska that operates within a Restorative Justice framework. It offers services to both male and female residents and has a capacity of 15 beds.

The facility’s primary focus is to promote public safety, restoration of victims and communities, and youth competency development. The programs offered at the facility aim to advance educational goals, physical and mental health, life skills education, victim empathy, substance abuse education, and other groups and activities designed to increase self-awareness and promote healthy lifestyle choices.

The facility works closely with the community through its Citizens Advisory Board and partnerships with organizations such as the Mat-Su Borough School District, the Mat-Su Agency Partnership, and the Community Justice Coalition.

The facility also engages in community service projects, including stuffing envelopes for nonprofits, baking doggie treats for the local animal shelter, and crocheting hats and scarves for the local women’s shelter.

A modest-sized greenhouse on the premises facilitates agrarian skills development and produces vegetables and flowers for donation to the local senior center throughout the summer months.

McLaughlin Youth Center

McLaughlin Youth Center is a juvenile detention facility located in Anchorage, Alaska. Over the past few years, the center has undergone several changes in its living units to enhance its services and increase efficiency.

The facility accommodates male and female juveniles between the ages of 12 and 18 years who are either awaiting court appearances or serving their sentences. The center offers a range of services such as education, counseling, and vocational training to help the juveniles achieve successful reintegration into the community.

The facility also has a recreation program that provides the juveniles with opportunities to engage in sports, arts and crafts, and other activities. The McLaughlin Youth Center is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for the juveniles in its care, while also offering them the support and resources they need to make positive changes in their lives.

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