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The Ketchikan Probation Office, located in Ketchikan, Alaska is comprised of three probation officers
and one administrative clerk. The Ketchikan District Office supervises offenders in Metlakatla, on the
Prince of Wales Island and Hyder, AK. On the Prince of Wales Island (POW) offenders are supervised in
Hollis, Thorne Bay, Klawock, Craig, Hydaburg and other smaller logging and rural communities. Except
for Hyder, which is on the mainland, all other communities in the Ketchikan district are accessible
only by ferry or airplane.
The Ketchikan Probation Office will soon implement Video Supervision for offenders residing on Prince
of Wales Island (POW). Video supervision will allow offenders on POW to "check in" with their probation
officer via a video/tv camera linked through the phone system. A video/tv camera, phone and television
will be installed in the office of the Craig City Police Department. Similar equipment is set up in the
Ketchikan probation office.
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About the Area
Huge runs of salmon migrate from the open ocean, around Prince of Wales Island, and into the protected
waters of the Inside Passage near Ketchikan. This mass gathering of five species of Pacific salmon is
the reason that this area is known as the "Salmon Capital of the World." This region of Alaska is
particularly noted for its strong runs of trophy size fish, including king, silver, red, pink, chum
salmon and giant halibut. Native art and culture flourishes here due to the large population of Native
Alaskans. The three indigenous Pacific Northwest Indian tribes are the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian.
Massive totem poles abound, timeless monuments in cedar from the first Alaskans. Magnificent Misty
Fjords National Monument is a pristine masterpiece of nature. Here is one of the country's greatest
treasures and some of Alaska's most spectacular scenery. Its fjords were created by massive glacier
action in the ice-rimmed wilderness.
Ketchikan and the village of Saxman are located in the heart of the Tongass National Forest on
Revillagigedo Island. Saxman, which is two miles south from Ketchikan, has a large totem park that
includes the famous Abraham Lincoln pole. Following in the footsteps of their ancestors, carvers and
their apprentices can be seen here sculpting totem poles, canoes, paddles, and masks. Ketchikan enjoys
a lush green landscape 365 days a year thanks to an average of 162 inches of precipitation, which
includes about 32 inches of snow. Throughout Ketchikan's history, various industries, such as logging,
fishing, tourism, and the gold rush to name a few, have shared the limelight providing diversity to
the first port-of-call along Alaska's much traveled Inside Passage. Ketchikan is a major cruise ship
port welcoming over half a million visitors a year. And in the year 2000, Ketchikan will observe their
centennial anniversary of incorporation with a big celebration.
Metlakatla, the only Indian reserve in Alaska, is a Tsimshian community rich in heritage, culture and
artisans. It is located on Annette Island, quickly accessible to Ketchikan by ferry or plane. Approximately
1100 people reside in Metlakatla. On the Island visitors can walk to the ancient village sites to see
rectangular depressions in the forest floor where villages once stood.
The Prince of Wales Island is rich with history and wildlife and can trace their beginnings to Native
villages, fishing ports and logging camps. The timber industry has provided hundreds of miles of road for
the independent traveler to explore, while the island's location on the Pacific Ocean contributes to the
outstanding sport fishing, wildlife viewing and recreational opportunities available. Prince of Wales
Island offers prehistoric finds among the island's caves and luxurious resorts around the island. The
island is part of the Alexander Archipelago in the southernmost portion of the Alaska panhandle and is
the third largest island in the United States, with Hawaii being the largest and Kodiak the second largest.
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