Under the authority of Article III of the Alaska Constitution and AS 44. 19.145(c), which permits the governor to create coordinating or advisory planning groups, the Governor's Criminal Justice Working Group is established.

The Alaska Sentencing Commission has recommended that the governor convene an ongoing group of criminal justice agencies to address the many practical problems that arise between agencies, to keep pace with changes in the budget and prison population, to continue data collection and evaluation, and to monitor and review the performance of alternative punishments and prison sentences. The highly unified and interrelated nature of Alaska's criminal justice system makes it necessary and appropriate that all components of the system coordinate their policy and budgetary planning. Therefore, I am establishing a Criminal Justice Working Group to provide a vehicle for coordinated justice system planning and recommendations.

Section 1. DUTIES.

The Governor's Criminal Justice Working Group shall

(1) recommend to the governor, legislature, and court system, policies for the administration of criminal justice;
(2) advise the governor, legislature, and court system on criminal justice issues, including the fiscal policy, and operational impacts of criminal justice issues and proposals;
(3) assimilate data regarding crime rates, prison population, and other criminal justice statistics as necessary for distribution and presentation; and
(4) coordinate the implementation of policies developed by the governor, legislature, or court system that affect the criminal justice system.

Section 2. MEMBERS.

The Governor's Criminal Justice Working Group shall include the following executive branch representatives or their designees:

(1) Attorney General
(2) Commissioner of Department of Administration
(3) Commissioner of Department of Corrections
(4) Commissioner of Department of Health & Social Services
(5) Commissioner of Department of Public Safety
(6) Director of the Office of Management & Budget
(7) Director of the Office of Public Advocacy
(8) Director of the Public Defender Agency

In addition, the court system, legislature, judicial council Alaska Association of Chiefs of Police and Anchorage police are invited and encouraged to participate.

The Governor's Criminal Justice Working Group shall draw on its participants for the necessary staff support and coordination.

This order takes effect immediately.

DATED at Juneau, Alaska, this 1 day of Sept., 1993.

S/S Walter J. Hickel            
Walter J. Hickel                
Governor