The department shall (1) accept all minors committed to the custody of the department and all minors who are involved in a written agreement under AS 47.14.100(c), and provide for the welfare, control, care, custody, and placement of these minors in accordance with this chapter; (2) require and collect statistics on juvenile offenses and offenders in the state; (3) conduct studies and prepare findings and recommendations on the need, number, type, construction, maintenance, and operating costs of juvenile detention facilities, juvenile treatment facilities, and other institutions, and adopt and submit a plan for construction of the facilities and institutions when needed, together with a plan for financing the construction programs; (4) examine, where possible, all facilities, institutions, and places of juvenile detention and treatment in the state and inquire into their methods and the management of juveniles in them.
Alaska Legal Code