ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTVA-CBS 11 News) - Some of your tax dollars are hard at work paying for certain criminals to go to rehab. The public officials behind the spending, however, will not disclose how much it is costing.

Former Willow Representative, now convicted felon, Beverly Massek blamed alcohol abuse for causing her to seek the cash leading to her political corruption.

After serving six months in prison, a federal judge ruled her probation could include a stint at an Alaska alcohol rehabilitation center.

There are no federal prisons in Alaska. Many of our criminals end up in Lower 48 prisons like Sheridan, Oregon. When they are released on probation, and come back to Alaska, tax dollars are paying for some of their rehabilitation.

Alaska Federal Probation Director Karen Brewer would only provide a brief statement explaining the process.

The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 says in addition to random drug testing the criminal must go to an outpatient substance abuse program. The probation officer decides if the criminal will be required to pay for all, or some, of their rehab.

Brewer's statement concludes, "If the individual cannot pay for their own treatment, the Federal probation office pays through a local provider with which the office has entered into a contract to provide such services."

When asked how much the treatment is costing taxpayers Brewer declined, saying the Judiciary Branch does not fall under the

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Freedom of information Act.

For Alaska's Department of Corrections, however, treatment is included in their budget.

"We don't use federal tax dollars and a large majority of our inmates their sentencing remarks by the judge include recommendations for treatment," says Division of Institutions Deputy Director Bryan Brandenburg. "But the money piece is part of our budget. So it's not additional tax dollars that are being utilized."

Beginning with the Palin administration Brandenburg says the corrections department started using about three million budget dollars a year to start rehabilitating criminals behind bars.

"What we're trying to do is put into place the type of treatment that would most positively benefit the offender once they leave incarceration," Brandenburg says.

Alaska courts sentence close to 38,000 felons a year. Brandenburg says 287 are released every month, and 66 percent of them re-offend and end up back in jail. Each prisoner costs the state $126 dollars every day.

"We're really looking at those pieces of the puzzle that will help someone stay out of jail," Brandenburg says.

State officials say if their rehabilitation program is successful, they not only have less people committing crimes, but also save the state money.

Brandenburg adds If future studies show offenders do not repeat, Brandenburg says the state plans on asking lawmakers for even more money. The program is set to be completely in place by January.

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