This report presents the results of an evaluation of federally funded efforts by Alaska State Troopers and partner agencies to curb the trafficking of alcoholic beverages into isolated villages of rural western Alaska that have local alcohol prohibitions enacted in order to address violence attributed to the abusive consumption of alcohol.
The evaluation found that the program design is based on a logically sound model and is being implemented as intended, particularly over the past 2 years. The program is organizationally stable and has increased the number of arrests, prosecutions, and convictions for violations of local alcohol laws. Seizures of bootlegged alcohol have also increased; however, these efforts have not produced the intended outcome of a statistically significant reduction in crime and accidental deaths and injuries. The program may be transferable to other areas of Alaska, but is probably not suited for most parts of the contiguous United States without substantial modifications. The program, called the Rural Alaska Alcohol Interdiction, Investigation, and Prosecution Program (RAI Program), is designed to supplement existing law enforcement, investigations, and prosecution capacity in the rural communities with alcohol prohibition laws. The program has also focused on strengthening ties and the flow of information between police and village residents through community policing and outreach efforts, the maintenance of tip lines, and rewards for information on alcohol law violations. The intended key outcomes of the program are reductions in crime and accidental death and injury. The evaluation's components consisted of a process analysis, an outcome assessment, a cost assessment, and an assessment of the program's transferability to other communities. 17 figures; 8 tables; 69 references; and appended staff interview guide, interview consent form, examples of commercial air routes from hubs to villages, supplementary statistics, and program publicity materials