Ketchikan Correctional Center Fingerprinting

Court Ordered Fingerprinting

Beginning July 1, 1996, fingerprinting of all felon and misdemeanor defendants is required by AS 12.80.060. The statute requires the court to determine at a defendant's initial court appearance or arraignment (and again at sentencing) whether a defendant has been fingerprinted for the present offense. If this cannot be conclusively determined, the statute requires the court to order the defendant to submit to being fingerprinted within 24 hours.

Note that the statute does not provide for waiting until the defendant has been convicted before inquiring and ordering that he/she be fingerprinted. Also, it does not matter whether a defendant has previously been fingerprinted for one or more offenses – new fingerprints are required as an identifier for each new offense. However, one set of fingerprints can be submitted for multiple present charges, cases, or offenses.

In the Ketchikan area, unless directed otherwise, the Department of Corrections, Ketchikan Correctional Center is the designated facility for the purpose of fingerprinting under AS 12.80.060: Fingerprinting.

Requirements

When reporting to the jail for fingerprinting, you will be required to:

  • Comply with the rules of the facility while you are at the facility;
  • NOT be under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance;
  • NOT possess a weapon;
  • Have an "ORDER TO REPORT FOR FINGERPRINTING" from the court with you;
  • Have a copy of the charging documents in the case you are to be fingerprinted on;
  • Have acceptable photo identification (i.e. driver's license, Alaska ID card, etc.) with you; and,
  • Submit to a routine security search

You may have to wait to be printed as time permits or you may have to return at a later time if the facility's workload or emergencies require this.

How to Report

On arrival at the facility, you must report to the front entrance. By use of the intercom, tell the officer who you are and what you are here for. You are to wait at the front entrance until an officer has come out to identify you and verify your paperwork. You will be required to place all you unneeded property in a visitor’s locker and bring only the locker key, identification, and court paperwork with you. You will be escorted to the booking office by way of the police entrance gate and subject to a pat/frisk search and a metal detector search. You will be asked a number of questions required to complete the process and then fingerprinted as required by AS 12.80.060. Upon completion of the procedure an officer will escort you out of the facility. You may then return to the front entrance to reclaim your property from the locker.