Northern Region Probation Services
With Fairbanks as its hub, Northern region probation encompasses an area approximately the size of the state of Minnesota. Besides the Fairbanks District, the region has four district offices – Utqiagvic (Barrow), Bethel, Kotzebue and Nome – and ranges south to Cantwell, east to the Canadian border, and north and west to the Arctic and Bering Seas. While serving a largely Caucasian population of Fairbanks, the region also serves much of Alaska’s Athabascan, Yupik and Inupiat people. To bridge the distance gap, an emergence of video conferencing provides for face to face meetings with youth, their parents, and service providers to support community based placement.
Many of the community and youth courts are found in this region which continues to set the pace for meeting the Division’s Balanced and Restorative Justice goals. Community outreach such as Probation Officers in the schools, community work service programs, and partnerships with community and tribal entities are widely used throughout the region.
Utqiagvic (Barrow) Probation Services
The Utqiagvic (Barrow) District office serves not only the city of Utqiagvic but also seven surrounding villages on the North Slope. Utqiagvic probation employs two Juvenile Probation Officers and one Social Services Associate. Utqiagvic is the economic, transportation and administrative center for the North Slope Borough. Staff in Utqiagvic, the northernmost community in the United States, enjoy the challenges of responding to delinquency in remote communities and the close community partnerships which have been established to assist them in holding youth accountable for their delinquent behavior.
Bethel Probation Services
The Bethel District office services the community of Bethel and 56 surrounding villages on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. The Bethel District is approximately the size of the state of Oregon, and travel to these villages is predominately by airplane. The district is predominantly Yupik Eskimo, but also includes Athabascan Indians from the interior and upper Yukon areas. Bethel probation employs one Probation Supervisor, five Juvenile Probation Officers, one Social Services Associate and one Office Assistant. Staff offices are co-located with the Bethel Youth Facility where a strong connection exists between the Probation and Facility staff who are dedicated to implementing culturally responsive responses to the youth they serve.
Fairbanks Probation Services
The Fairbanks District Office services the communities within the Fairbanks North Star Borough and 38 outlying communities. Of those 38 communities, some are on the road system while others are mainly accessible by aircraft. Fairbanks probation employs three probation supervisors, ten Juvenile Probation Officers and one social services associate. Of the The Fairbanks District Office services the communities within the Fairbanks North Star Borough and 38 outlying communities. Of those 38 communities, some are on the road system while others are mainly accessible by aircraft. Fairbanks probation employs three probation supervisors, seven Juvenile Probation Officers and one Social Services Associate. Of the seven Juvenile Probation Officers, five of the positions specialize in various areas such as re-entry and mental health. The Fairbanks community is home to many of the northern region residential placements for behavior modification, substance abuse, and mental health services. The probation office is located at the Fairbanks Youth Facility where staff participate in joint efforts such as the Community Detention Electronic Monitoring Program, Re-Entry community-based services, and the Fairbanks Community Work Service Program.
Kotzebue Probation Services
The Kotzebue District office services the community of Kotzebue and 12 surrounding villages along western Alaska. The region is occupied primarily by Inupiat Eskimos and subsistence activities are an integral part of the lifestyle. Kotzebue probation employs one The Kotzebue District office services the community of Kotzebue and 12 surrounding villages along western Alaska. The region is occupied primarily by Inupiat Eskimos and subsistence activities are an integral part of the lifestyle. Kotzebue probation employs one Juvenile Probation Officer and one Social Services Associate. Due to limited services within the region, staff in this office have developed many community partnerships which crucial to providing an effective response to juvenile crime.
Nome Probation Services
The Nome District office services the community of Nome and 16 surrounding villages along the northwest coast of Alaska and the Bering Sea to include St. Lawrence Island. The region is home to three culturally distinct groups of Eskimo people; the Inupiaq, Central Yupik, and Siberian Yupik. Nome probation employs one District Supervisor, two Juvenile Probation Officers, and one Social Services Associate. Staff offices are located at the Nome Youth Facility. Travel to and from the surrounding villages routinely occurs in order to provide a more meaningful interaction between youth, families, and the Probation Officers.
Find contact information for the Northern Region Probation Services on our How to Contact Juvenile Justice page.