Legislator backs law aimed at helping ex-cons get to work

WASILLA — A new crime-related bill that Rep. Cathy Tilton (R-Wasilla) will help keep criminals from re-offending appears poised to become law after sailing through the Alaska Senate.

House Bill 93 passed the Senate 19-0 and is currently before the House for consideration. It passed that body unanimously last year.

“The purpose behind HB 93 is to provide a tool to probation and parole officers that encourages former offenders to find and keep gainful employment or to better themselves through education or training,” Rep. Tilton said in a statement issued Friday.

Tilton aide Christopher Clark said that although probation and parole officers already had discretion to allow parolees and probationers the ability to leave town for work, the law didn’t specify that they should make education and work programs a priority.

“This says that the parole officers and probation officers must find a way to accommodate this,” Clark said in an interview from Juneau.

Clark said Tilton, who represents District 12 in the State House, sponsored the bill because she was hearing that it was often difficult for those trying to turn their lives around to travel for work.

“The idea is, let’s try to accommodate these guys so they could maintain their jobs,” Clark said.

Reducing recidivism — or the rate at which criminals reoffend — is a priority for legislators hoping to reduce Alaska’s bulging prison population. Clark said the best way to achieve that goal is to make sure people have stable, productive lives once they leave the prison environment.

“The emphasis is on let’s get these folks to work,” he said.

Crime in focus

The Legislature has placed an emphasis on criminal justice reform this session. The Senate is currently considering SB 91, a crime bill which has the stated goal of reducing the state’s prison population by 21 percent over the next 10 years. That bill is before the Senate Finance Committee, which has a hearing set for 9 a.m. via teleconference. For more information, visit akleg.gov. On Tuesday, March 22, the House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on HB 205, which is the House’s version of SB 91. The hearing will begin at 5 p.m. and those interested in testifying can stop by their local legislative information office. Those unable to attend can also call the Juneau LIO at (907) 465-4648. Testimony will be limited to three minutes each. To livestream the hearing, visit alaskalegislature.tv.

In her sponsor statement about HB 93, Tilton laid out her rationale for introducing it.

“It allows probationers and parolees to travel for a job or training that leads to one. It also gives consideration for work times when setting reporting schedules,” she wrote. “These accommodations must not be inconsistent with other terms and conditions of probation or parole.”

Tilton said she thinks the bill will both produce better citizens but also help victims who are owed restitution.

“It is intended to help reduce the likelihood of offenders becoming re-offenders, encourage them to be lawful, productive citizens of society, and allow them to earn money to pay restitution to their victims,” she said.

Contact Frontiersman editor Matt Tunseth at 352-2268 or email news@frontiersman.com