Alaska: Kotzebue’s jail to close

SIKU CIRCUMPOLAR NEWS SERVICE

This week, Kotzebue, an Inupiat community on the northwest coast of Alaska, will shut down its jail because its leaders say there’s not enough money to run the facility.

Kotzebue operates one of 15 community jails in Alaska. Kotzebue says jails in different communities receive different amounts per bed – when the costs are around the same.

The North Slope Borough jail in Barrow receives $842,000 for nine beds, or $93,000 per bed, while Kotzebue is paid only $589,000 to manage 14 beds, or $42,000 per bed. Kotzebue wants Alaska’s correctional services to look into the cost of running the community jails and equalize the payments.

News of the closure has sent Alaska State Troopers scrambling to find a temporary jail and money to fly prisoners out to Nome’s jail.

“It’s a logistical nightmare,” State Trooper Lt. John Glick told the Anchorage Daily News. “There’s no clear plan in place. But we’re working on it….We can’t get ourselves into the position of releasing prisoners that need to be remanded.”

When Kotzebue closes its jail, the 911 system will also end, as will weekend dispatch service for the troopers.