Report now available on the Department of Public Safety Website
(Anchorage) — The fourth Felony Level Sex Offenses report has been published to the Department of Public Safety Website. It can be found at https://dps.alaska.gov/Felony-Level-Sex-Offenses-2018. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) is tasked with collecting information on felony level sex offenses reported to state and local law enforcement agencies, as defined by Alaska Statute (AS) 12.63.100, and as required by AS 12.62.130. This is a required reporting program for state and local law enforcement agencies and is in addition to the requirements for Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR).
- Reports of felony level sex offense incidents increased 19.5% in 2018 compared to 2017, and the number of reported victims increased 23.5%.
- The region of Western Alaska reported the highest rate of felony level sex offense incidents statewide, while Southeast Alaska reported the lowest rate.
- Over 55% of all reported victims were juveniles.
- Victims under the age of 11 most often reported being assaulted by a parent.
- Alaska Native females were reported to have the highest victimization rate of any gender or racial group, comprising 43.7% of all reported victims.
- The median age of female victims was 17, while the most common age was 15.
- The median age of male victims was 12, while the most common age was 4.
- In the reported relationships between the victims and suspects, less than 7% identified the suspect as a stranger. With victims under 11 years old, less than 2% of the relationships involved a stranger.
“When the DPS looks at these statistics, we do not see numbers; we see Alaskans in dire need of increased public safety and increased victim and survivor services,” said Commissioner Amanda Price, Department of Public Safety. “With his proposed budget and legislation creating minimum standards for police officers, Governor Dunleavy has given us a clear path forward to making Alaska safe, with particular focus of our underserved rural communities. We need to hold offenders accountable for the sake of all Alaskans.”
“Public Safety has from the beginning been my top priority. For too long this state has not taken care of its most precious resource—its people,” said Governor Mike Dunleavy. “I will continue to give the Department of Public Safety, as well as the Department of Law and the Department of Corrections, as much support as I can because these statistics must be reversed. A safer Alaska will positively impact every aspect of this state and Alaskans.”
Caution should be exercised in comparing data between Felony Sex Offense statistics, Uniform Crime Reporting, and the Alaska Victimization Survey; they are separate data collection efforts with different methodologies in aggregating incidents, offenses, and victims.
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