EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Thirty-six percent of criminal cases in Alaska are flagged as domestic violence (DV), and cases are increasing annually. Additionally, more than half of adult women in Alaska have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) and/or sexual assault at least once in their lifetime. Clearly, DV is a pervasive public health issue in Alaska, even though DV is recognized as a crime and legal mechanisms are in place to address them. Therefore, this study aimed to comprehensively understand DV in Alaska in the context of the overall judicial response to DV. Confidential interviews were conducted with victim advocates, Battering Intervention Program (BIP) providers, probation officers, law enforcement, judges, and attorneys (prosecutor and defense) from the six Alaska regions (i.e., Southeast, Southcentral, Southwest, Western, Arctic, and Interior). Three research questions guided the study: 1. What is the current state of DV in Alaska from the perspectives of the stakeholders who enforce or work within DV statutes, including court-mandated battering intervention programs? 2. What are the strengths and barriers of the legal system specific to addressing DV perpetration? 3. What are the unmet needs of the stakeholders that are important to consider in improving the response to DV perpetration? Seven themes and related sub-themes emerged. Each section ends with a summary and achievable recommendations. The findings are summarized into the following broad takeaway points: 1. Some important issues that the stakeholders in Alaska have continuously identified over the past decade have not been addressed. We compared the findings from this report to results from prior reports. Problems identified by stakeholders dating back to 2011 (and dating back further) persist today. 2. Stakeholders have varied perceptions and beliefs about those who are impacted by DV. Such variations contribute to differences in stakeholder descriptions of how DV should be addressed. 3. Stakeholders are not requesting softened justice or a reduction in DV criminality but a system that is responsive to how DV is occurring in their local context. Stakeholders emphasized the need to provide a variety of options to hold DV offenders accountable in ways that align with DV typology, co-occurring risk factors, and victim needs. 4. It is unclear whether certain issues are caused by knowledge gaps or service gaps. If knowledge gaps are causing certain issues, information should be disseminated, and confusion should be dispelled. If service gaps are causing the issues, services should be made available. 5. The state lacks a unified ideology that guides the overall response to DV crimes. Each state entity may have a strong sense of purpose, but their DV-related operations are disparate as they are not guided by a state-defined goal. Such goals would help inform how DV crimes should be addressed, how those impacted by DV should be treated by the stakeholders, and how DV dynamics should be understood. A unified ideology would subsequently specify what a successful outcome means to Alaska and the measures that should be utilized for evaluating success and efficacy.

A population-based cell phone survey on COVID-19 was conducted among Anchorage residents (N = 600) from July 16 to July 18, 2020. This was the second population-based cell phone survey conducted in the Municipality on COVID-19; the first one (N = 996) was conducted May 6-10, 2020. Between the first and second population-based cell phone surveys, four online surveys were conducted every two weeks with a panel of respondents from the first cell-phone survey. In total, six surveys have been done in Anchorage so far. Key findings from the most recent survey are as follows:  Most of the respondents reported practicing physical distancing and good hygiene. o Most (74%) did not have any visitors in their home the day before the survey. o Most (74%) did not have physical contact of any kind with someone who didn’t live with them. o While most (66%) reported not going to or attending events indoors (i.e., church, bar, restaurant, house party) last weekend, this distancing behavior was abided by less than the previous ones listed above. o Most (79%) reported wearing their mask all or most of the time when they were outside their home. o Most (68%) reported wearing a mask all or most of the time when they were within six feet of someone not from their household. o Most (76%) reported washing or sanitizing their hands every time or most of the time after touching things that people outside their household may have touched.  Most reported not being worried or only slightly worried about: transportation (88%), having enough to eat (84%), losing employment (78%), household finances (71%), and not being able to connect with friends and family (62%).  Most reported being worried or very worried about: sending children back to school (64%), other friends and family members being infected by coronavirus (56%), and themselves or members of their household being infected by coronavirus (52%).  Most (75%) felt that the Municipality’s response to the outbreak has been good or very good  Most (84%) felt that the Municipality’s policies related to coronavirus have been clear or very clear  Most (92%) strongly support or mildly support the Municipality’s mask mandate.  Most (53%) reported that they are often or sometimes confused by information on COVID-19. COVID-19 RELATED RISK BEHAVIORS increased among those who: o Had lower perceived threat of COVID-19  Those who had significantly lower perceived threat of COVID-19 included men and those with lower perceived susceptibility to COVID-19.  Those with lower perceived susceptibility included men and whites. o Reported lower perceived benefits of wearing a mask

A panel survey of 309 Municipality of Anchorage residents was conducted via phone June 2-4, 2020. This survey was a follow-up to both a representative survey conducted May 6-10 and a panel survey conducted May 20-22. Although most Anchorage businesses have opened, the second panel survey showed that: • Most respondents (64%) did NOT have physical contact with people not in their household. • Most (70%) wore a mask most or all of the time outside their home. • Most reported being not worried or only slightly worried in many aspects of their life, having good or very good morale in their household (70%), and having low or moderate stress in their household (62%). • Perceived threat of COVID-19 significantly increased from the second to third survey. COVID-related risk behaviors remained high for certain groups including men, younger people (<45 years), those who identified as Republican, and those with children. These groups had lower perceived threat of COVID-19, lower knowledge of the COVID mandates and MOA Emergency Orders, and lower level of clarity regarding Municipality policies related to COVID compared to their counterparts. However, caution should be taken when interpreting findings related to political affiliation given that it is a complex concept that may be an indicator for other factors, including individuals’ ideology, which was not asked about in the survey. These findings mirror national research showing that ideological and political differences may play a role in perceptions and behaviors related to COVID-199 . In order to help increase perceived threat of the virus and decrease COVID-related risk behaviors, messaging from those in the same ideological and political group could help with receptiveness of the message. KEY RECOMMENDATION: Messaging as a whole should continue to focus on the continued threat of COVID-19, personal responsibility to reduce risk, and Alaskans’ ability to succeed in defeating the virus.

A panel survey of 316 individuals was conducted from May 20 to May 22, which was a follow-up to the phone survey conducted two weeks prior. Based on the results of the panel survey, the overall risk of infection by COVID-19 significantly increased in Anchorage. Additionally, surveyed individuals were more likely to have physical contact with those outside their household, practiced less physical distancing, touched things outside their home more often, and had decreased perceived threat to COVID-19. However, the majority of respondents were still engaging in behavior that limited transmission, such as refraining from physical contact with those outside their household, wearing masks some or all of the time they were out, and avoiding visiting or receiving friends. About half of respondents reported that Anchorage was opening up at about the right pace, while about a third felt Anchorage was opening up too quickly. Despite Anchorage opening up, most respondents also reported feeling uncomfortable engaging in activities that had been previously restricted, such as going to a bar, going to the movies, or exercising at an athletic club. While the findings from these surveys are informative, this survey does not fully capture the needs and perspectives of Anchorage’s marginalized communities. Consequently, the UAA team is currently conducting a needs assessment of Anchorage’s marginalized communities, with results anticipated in early July. As Alaska and Anchorage continue to open, particularly with increasing protests around systemic racial inequity, the community could be reminded to give each other SPACE9 to continue to prevent further transmission of COVID-19. This document is a brief summary of panel survey highlights. Two more panel surveys of Anchorage residents are planned to track changes in behaviors, perceptions of COVID-19, and mental health as the situation continues to change.