Prosecution in Rural Alaska

The Alaska Department of Law will continue the operation of the Rural Prosecution Unit within the Department of Law, Office of Special Prosecutions created under the current expiring federal grant.  The unit consists of two experienced prosecutors and one law office assistant.  The prosecutors are cross designated as Special Assistant US Attorneys, though all cases to date have been prosecuted in state court.  Prosecutors will continue to focus on felony offenses occurring in rural Alaska.  One attorney will be assigned domestic violence (both felony and misdemeanor) and sexual assault cases (including homicides).  The other attorney will be assigned felony crimes in rural Alaska beyond just domestic violence and sexual assault, including assault, sexual abuse of a minor, and homicides.  

The Rural Prosecution Unit is designed to assist the rural district attorney's offices with staffing shortages and experience gaps.  An office becomes short staffed when there is an insufficient number of attorneys to handle the caseload, which may occur because of vacant positions, or attorneys taking leave, or when an office lacks attorneys with sufficient experience to handle complex or serious felony prosecutions.  Offices also become short staffed when that office receives cases that are so complex that the attorneys are unable to complete the necessary investigation and motion work without neglecting the normal operation of the office.

The attorneys assigned to the Rural Prosecution Unit are gifted and experienced trial attorneys. Their expertise results in successful prosecution of complex major crimes that occur in rural communities, and in lengthy prison sentences for convicted offenders. Since serious crimes involving domestic violence, sexual assault and sexual abuse of minors are prevalent in rural Alaska, the rural unit will prosecute many of those offenses.

The program has proven to be very successful in assisting the State’s rural district attorney offices. Cases are screened more quickly and in turn tried more quickly. The expertise of the attorneys helps in obtaining a more successful outcome than would have originally been possible with limited resources.