Civil Legal Needs Of Crime Victims In Alaska: A Proposed Partial Agenda For Future Research

• In Event: Assessing Justice System Needs for Victims and Offenders

Abstract

Alaska is similar to other states in terms of challenges in reaching victims of crime in rural areas. However, unique in the geographic isolation of many of individuals living outside of metropolitan centers due to the vast size of the state combined with a limited road system throughout the state. Research has indicated that one property or violent crime happens every twenty minutes within Alaska. Alaska Natives and women disproportionately account for a large percentage of victimization. While a number of statewide and local responses for crime victimization exist, studies show that the civil legal needs of crime victims do not share the same resource allocation; the demand continues to exceed the limited legal resource service providers in the state. Few published journal articles and reports are available that involve research specifically focused on the civil legal needs of crime victims. To our knowledge, no Alaska specific data or reports have attempted to quantify or describe the civil legal needs of crime victims in Alaska. This research attempts to identify the current gaps in civil legal service provision needs of Alaskans from the crime victim’s perspective and proposes a research agenda for civil legal needs of crime victims.

Authors

• Cory R. Lepage, University of Alaska Anchorage

• Marny Rivera, University of Alaska Anchorage