DJJ Facilities
The Division of Juvenile Justice oversees seven youth facilities around the state. Each of these facilities provides:
- Secure facilities for youth awaiting determination of the outcomes relating to their offenses.
- Highly structured core services such as short-term individual, group, and family counseling.
- Education services through local school districts.
- Health screening and medical care.
- Mental health diagnostics and services.
- Substance abuse education and prevention.
- Life-skills competency building.
What is Detention?
Detention Units are the initial contact point for youth entering a secure facility and serve youth detained and awaiting court decisions, bail processing, and/or placement. Youth enter Detention primarily as a result of new criminal charges, or violations of set probation and/or court conditions and they appear in court every 30 days, until released. While detained, male and female youth are offered programming that includes school, recreational activities, religious services, substance abuse education and anger management and life skills development.
What is Treatment?
Our youth facilities in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau and Bethel also provide services for youth committed for long-term treatment. Their programs are specifically designed to intervene in entrenched delinquent behavior, to build value systems reflective of the local culture, and restore victims and the community to the fullest degree possible. Youth are assigned a treatment team that works with them and their families throughout their stay to break the cycle of offending.
Comprehensive treatment plans are developed with resident and family input targeting specific areas requiring change and growth. Educational services are provided by the local school districts, including services for special needs students. Comprehensive medical and mental health services are provided to all long-term residents as necessary. In conjunction with probation officers, aftercare services are being developed to ensure a greater number of youth will adjust to community placement and maintain the progress they have made while in secure treatment.
Alaska Youth Facilities