A week or so ago Alaska CURE was invited to tour the new correctional center in the Mat-Su Valley–Goose Creek Correctional Facility (GCCF). Amid a lot of controversy and outcry from the public and politicos alike the 1300 bed facility is nearing completion and according to the facility’s project manager, on time and on budget.
During the tour we were told that beginning in early March (2012) the first offenders will be brought into GCCF to “test it out” and each month 128 more offenders will be brought in over the next year until the facility reaches capacity.
This post will outline the key components of the facility and what issues may arise from Alaska CURE‘s point of view.
Location
GCCF is located on Point Mackenzie in Alaska’s Matanuska Susitna Valley approximately an hour drive from Wasilla and two to two and a half hours from Anchorage. A bridge that will connect the Mat-Su Valley (Port Mackenzie) to Anchorage is in the works with construction being completed in 2015 (estimate). GCCF is in a remote location and while the roads are well maintained, in the winter months it will still be a difficult drive to the facility for friends and family as well as GCCF staff.
Entrance and Visitation
A lot of rumors have been brought up about there not being any contact visiting at GCCF. This was our first question of the tour. As soon as you arrive at the facility visitors will enter in through the main entrance and check in with an officer at a desk. To the right are two video link cubicles and then a large waiting area for visitors to wait to be called. To us it looks a lot like a bus station waiting area.
We did not tour the visiting area of GCCF as it was one of the areas that was not yet completed. A question we plan to pose to DOC regards visiting.
At GCCF visitors will have to exit the main building and walk to a separate area for visitation. There are no plans at this time to cover this walk way.
Housing
The housing areas at GCCF was where we spent the most time on the tour and most of the questions were asked. GCCF is divided up into housing modules A through K each housing 128 offenders and double teired. All of the housing units (except segregation) are on the south side of the facility.
One of the first things that we were told was that the offenders are going to be expected to go throughout the facility for all of their services and nothing will be brought to them. This includes: meals, programming, jobs, recreation, medical, etc. They want the daily life of the offender to mimic (as much as possible) the life of the outside.
The facility will utilize a proxy card system for each offender. This will allow access into their cells as well as all of the programs and services needed on a day-to-day basis. An offender’s proxy card will only allow access to what is programmed on his card meaning he can not access another housing unit or another offender’s cell.
The first concern we had was no access to natural light in the cells. There are no windows in the living units except a bank of skylights at the top of each unit. Also at the top of each unit is a state-of-the-art ventilation system and ceiling fans.
Offenders will be double bunked with the exception of a couple of handicapped equipped cells in each living unit. We noted that the cells were of normal size for a new modular type design with little storage for the offender’s personal property–consisting of four storage bins under the bottom bunk.
We noted that there is a small desk for writing and presumably for an offender’s personal T.V. as this is where the coaxial outlet is located. There are no shelves at the end of the bunks as found in most facilities.
We were told that the offenders can purchase small flat screen type televisions through the commissary for $160.00.
The doors to the cells are metal and contain a large window and a locking mechanism to be used with the proxy key. Also a large window is located to the side of each door offering little privacy to the offenders in their cells.
The day room of the living units is large. The furniture had not arrived at the time of our tour but we were told it will be of the type found in most prisons–plastic formed chairs. There are two televisions in each day room as well as two banks of telephones.
An officer will be at a desk in each living unit and will be the primary point of contact for the offenders.
Restrooms and showers are on one side of the living unit as well as washer and dryers. We were told that offenders will be allowed to wear “civilian clothes” most likely meaning sweat shirts and pants and t-shirts while in the living units but will be required to be fully dressed in state issued clothing any time they leave the housing unit.
Offices for case managers and other staff are in each living unit as well as a multi-purpose room.
Food Service
The kitchen area for the food service was impressive. We were told that it is the largest commercial kitchen in the state of Alaska and will handle 4500 meals a day when fully operational. We were also told that the offenders will only be receiving steamed and convection oven type cooking. There will be no fried foods at all. We were told that only a three day supply of food will be in the facility at any given time. We were told this was a security measure in that: “If offenders were to riot then they will get hungry soon.”
There are three dining halls on the north side of the facility and the offenders will be fed one unit at a time. They will be given 15 minutes to eat in assigned seating. The dining halls are food port type. Meaning an offender walks up to a window, picks up his tray and gets a cup of juice and sits down and returns his tray to a food port on the other side of the dinning hall and exits the building.
An offender’s proxy card will be utilized for meals. If they have eaten the offender will not be allowed “second helpings”. The proxy card will also keep track of the number of meals that an offender eats in a given period of time.
Medical Service
The medical offices are on the north side of the facility and we were told that they will be staffed only eight hours a day by physicians. We were told that this is a “state of the art” medical facility and includes eight negative pressure beds for offenders suffering from TB and other illnesses. This was another question that arose as the medical staff is not available more than 8 hours per day.
Programs and Recreation
At GCCF they have several vocational/work areas for the offenders. These areas were designed so they can be utilized in a variety of programs (i.e. wood shop, electrical shop, etc) and customized as needed. There is a paint booth on site and we were told that GCCF offenders will maintain state vehicles at the site.
A Library, GED and other school-type class rooms, are on the north side of the facility as well as a chaplains office and a place for worship. We did not tour these classroom areas as they were still under construction.
A gymnasium is located on the south side of the facility as well as several basketball courts outside in the courtyard that separates the two main buildings of the facility. Two large softball/multi-use fields are at the east end of the facility and separated by a fence.
It is unknown if the yard areas will be open during the winter months.
Offender Jobs
We were told that offenders will be employed throughout the facility in areas such as food service, laundry, vocational programs, school, etc. We were told that a large majority of the offenders will be working on the grounds crew shoveling snow and sweeping, etc. All offenders will be paid for their work assignments as is the policy throughout the system.
Segregation
GCCF has two segregation units on the north side of the facility. One punitive segregation and one “secured housing unit” and protective custody wing. The segregation cells look like any other ‘jail within a jail’ setting. But we did find it concerning that the offenders will be double bunked in these cells.
In the segregation unit we were shown a small cage like enclosure where we were told that a “law library” will be held for the offenders in segregation. This access will be offered by computer terminal only, presumably to sites like Westlaw and Lexus-Nexus. We were told the offenders in segregation will not be allowed to have access to any other law library materials (books, etc.) other than what is offered on the computer terminal.
Impression
Looking at the facility through educated eyes, we feel that it is a state of the art facility in many respects but it will be quite restrictive. GCCF will be classified as a medium custody facility.We understand what the goals are of the Department of Corrections and that security is the first priority. It is evident at GCCF. We feel that the facility will meet the needs of the offenders doing time at GCCF but on a scale that may not be geared toward rehabilitation.
Sure it will be a way to “get our guys home” and return them from being housed at a prison in Colorado but that is only a temporary solution. GCCF is only one facility of five that were slated to be built in Alaska so that means that an ever present overcrowding problem will continue.
Issues
Alaska CURE has already discussed several issues with GCCF and the facility is not even open yet. Some of the big concerns:
Medical Staffing Availability
Food Service
Law Library Access in Segregation
Access to Natural Light
Access to Outdoor Exercise
Alaska CURE 
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