Alaska § 33.30.111 - Prerelease furloughs.

§ 33.30.111. Prerelease furloughs.

 (a) Furlough programs established under AS 33.30.101 must include prerelease furloughs designed to facilitate the reintegration of a prisoner into society.

 (b) A facility that is specifically adapted to provide a residence outside prison, including a halfway house, group home, or other placement that provides varying levels of restriction and supervision, may be used for a prisoner on a prerelease furlough.

 (c) The restrictions and supervision required for a prerelease furlough shall provide safeguards that minimize risk to the public and include, as a minimum,        (1) frequent contact with the prisoner by persons supervising the prisoner;

 (2) knowledge by supervisory staff of the location of the prisoner;

 (3) periodic reports by supervisory staff to the commissioner on the performance of the prisoner while on furlough; and

 (4) a residential setting in which persons supervising a prisoner are obliged to immediately report to the commissioner any violation of a condition set for the prisoner's conduct.

 (d) Notwithstanding AS 33.30.101 (b), and other eligibility criteria established by the commissioner that relate to risks to the public posed by the proposed furlough of a prisoner,        (1) a prisoner sentenced to a definite term of imprisonment of more than one year but less than five years is not eligible for a prerelease furlough until the prisoner has served at least one-third of the sentence; and

 (2) a prisoner sentenced to a definite term of imprisonment of five years or more is not eligible for a prerelease furlough until the prisoner has served at least one-third of the sentence or is within three years of the release date, whichever is later.

 (e) A prisoner may request a prerelease furlough under procedures adopted by the commissioner. If the commissioner denies a request for a prerelease furlough, the commissioner shall provide the prisoner with a written explanation of the reasons for the denial.

 (f) Except as provided in (g) of this section, if the commissioner considers a prisoner convicted of a crime against a person or arson in the first degree for a prerelease furlough and the victim has requested notice under AS 33.30.013 , the commissioner shall send notice of intent to consider the prisoner for a prerelease furlough to the victim. The victim may comment in writing on the commissioner's intent to release the prisoner on a prerelease furlough status. The commissioner shall consider the victim's comments before making a final decision to release a prisoner on a prerelease furlough status. The commissioner shall make a reasonable effort to notify the victim of an intent to release the prisoner on a prerelease furlough. The notice must contain the expected date of the prisoner's release, the geographic area in which the prisoner will reside, and other pertinent information concerning the prisoner's release that may affect the victim.

 (g) If the commissioner considers a prisoner convicted of a crime involving domestic violence for a prerelease furlough, the commissioner shall send notice of intent to consider the prisoner for prerelease furlough to the last known address of the victim. The victim may comment in writing on the commissioner's intention to release the prisoner on a prerelease furlough. The commissioner shall consider the victim's comments, if any, before making a final decision to release the prisoner on a prerelease furlough. The commissioner shall make a reasonable effort to notify the victim of any decision to release the prisoner on the prerelease furlough. The notice must include the expected date of the furlough and any other information concerning the furlough that may affect the victim. A person may not bring a civil action for damages for a failure to comply with the provisions of this subsection.