Alaska is in a fairly unique position. No one really knows why it is as violent as it is but doubtless among the elements: Long periods of inclement weather and darkness, causing high rates of depression and despair. The reverse phenomenon of long hours of daylight that seriously disturbs some people. Difficulties of movement - not many highways. Villages with long-held methods and traditions of retribution and revenge. A culture of guns and knives based on trapping, hunting and subsistence. Climates and terrain that are frequently unforgiving.

In addition, it has a transient population with many immigrants seeking and expecting to live the way they want to without interference from the law. Many, many people come up here with totally unrealistic views of current Alaska; they fantasize building a cabin in the wilds somewhere and living off the land with little need for money. Often they arrive here with a thousand dollars in their pockets expecting that to be enough to hold them until they find a job. Then they find that their cabin in the woods is burnt to the ground by the Parks Service and their being evicted, at gunpoint, if necessary. The thousand dollars doesn't even cover getting an apartment.

At the same time, individual regions have extremely low rates of serious crime. Juneau police often say that duty here is much less stressful than any other place they have been.