Prof. Brandeis appointed to ACLU litigation committee

Prof. Jason Brandeis, Justice faculty, was recently appointed to the Litigation Committee of the ACLU of Alaska Foundation. This committee assists in guiding the legal work of the ACLU on constitutional rights and civil liberties matters arising under the U.S. and the Alaska Constitutions.

Justice Center research highlighted by Victims for Justice

The 2010 Alaska Victimization Survey commissioned by the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and conducted by the Justice Center was highlighted in the Winter 2010 "Victim's Voice," the newsletter of Victims for Justice.

The 2009 Needs Assessment Survey for the Alaska State Victim Assistance Academy was conducted by the Justice Center at the request of Victims for Justice and was also cited in this issue. The assessment helped identify training topics for the first Alaska Victim Assistance Academy held in May 2010.

The next Alaska Victim Assistance Academy will be held May 15-20, 2011.

Winter holiday closure

Happy Holidays!

The Justice Center, along with the rest of the UAA campus, will be closed for the winter holiday break from 12:00 noon on Wednesday, December 22, 2010. We will reopen for our normal business hours on Monday, January 3, 2011.

All of us at the Justice Center wish you a festive holiday season, with all best wishes as we enter a new year.

Justice Center gang research now on National Criminal Justice Reference Service database

The Justice Center report, "Fairbanks Gang Assessment," prepared for the Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice and the Fairbanks Gang Reduction and Intervention Network (GRAIN), has recently been added to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) database.

Co-authors of the "Fairbanks Gang Assessment" report are Khristy Parker and Jennifer McMullen, Justice Center Research Professionals; Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center; and Shea Daniels, Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice.

NCJRS is a federally funded resource offering justice and substance abuse information to support research, policy, and program development worldwide.

Co-author Shea Daniels, Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice, has been invited to present on how to complete a community gang assessment at the "2011 National Gang Symposium" in June. Ms. Daniels will be presenting with Michelle Arciaga, Senior Research Associate, from the National Gang Center.

Tacoma, Washington is currently considering a gang assessment project. The Justice Center "Fairbanks Gang Assessment" report was reviewed by the Tacoma City Council Public Safety, Human Services, and Education Committee during the discussion about their proposed 2011 Gang Assessment.

Dr. Rosay presents at Indian Nations Conference

Dr. André Rosay of the Justice Center and Ms. Katherine TePas of the Alaska Governor's Office were invited by the National Institute of Justice to present UAA Justice Center research on violence against women and its impact on the Governor’s Initiative to end the epidemic of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Their presentation at a one-day workshop on "Victim Focused Data and Research"was part of the agenda for the three-day 12th National Indian Nations Conference on Justice for Victims of Crime held in December in Palm Springs. Dr. Rosay and Ms. TePas, who is the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Response Coordinator for Alaska, presented data from the 2010 Alaska Victimization Survey.

The one-day workshop was designed to present recent findings from a number of local and national research and evaluation studies specifically in the area of violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women.

Justice Center develops evaluation tool for 2011 Alaska Victim Assistance Academy

Khristy Parker, Justice Center Research Professional, is developing a new evaluation tool for the 2011 Alaska Victim Assistance Academy (AVAA). This new instrument will incorporate the 2010 evaluation format and comments from the AVAA Steering Committee to better meet the needs of the AAVA.

The first Alaska Victim Assistance Academy was held in May 2010. The AVAA is part of the U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime program which provides training for individuals assisting crime victims. The Alaska curriculum includes training on a wide spectrum of victim services and focuses on issues that are unique and specific to the state. The Alaska program is coordinated by Victims for Justice.

Justice Center research cited in Alaska Dispatch article

The online newspaper, Alaska Dispatch, cited Justice Center research on sexual assaults in a December 6, 2010 online article, "Feds fighting sex abuse cycle in rural Alaska." Reporter Craig Medred cited data from the 2008 Spring/Summer issue of the Alaska Justice Forum, "Sexual Assaults Reported to Alaska State Troopers," co-authored by André B. Rosay, Greg Postle, Darryl S. Wood, and Katherine TePas. The Forum article reviewed data from a Justice Center report examining sexual assaults reported to Alaska State Troopers in 2003-2004 in Alaska's smaller communities.

Dr. Rosay profiled in The Northern Light

Dr. André Rosay of the Justice Center and his recent contract award to provide research services to the Governor's Office are the focus of an article, "Dr. Rosay stands up to violence," in the student newspaper, The Northern Light, December 7, 2010 issue.

Dr. Rosay is partnering with the Office of the Governor and the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault to establish baselines in case outcomes and recidivism for the Governor's Initiative to end the epidemic of domestic violence and sexual assault in Alaska. He is building research and evaluation capacity to monitor the effectiveness of the Initiative.

Dr. Marny Rivera and Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, were interviewed about Dr. Rosay's role in the Justice Center and his research on violence against women for the article.

Justice faculty present at American Society of Criminology conference

Dr. Darryl Wood and Dr. Marny Rivera

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice faculty, and Dr. Darryl Wood, Justice affiliate faculty, presented a poster session on the "Alaska Victimization Survey: From Research to Policy and Practice" at the November 2010 American Society of Criminology conference in San Francisco.

Co-authors for the poster presentation are André Rosay, Justice Center; Katherine TePas, Alaska Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Response Coordinator; Darryl S. Wood, Washington State University Vancouver; and Marny Rivera and Brad Myrstol, Justice Center.

The Alaska Victimization Survey provides the first definitive measures of the incidence and prevalence of violence against women in Alaska.

Justice majors update Alaska Peace Officers Association field manual

Left to right: Justice major Jeanene Walker, Justice Center Acting Director Dr. Allan Barnes, Justice major Sean Eichrodt, and APOA Business Manager Joe Young. Not pictured are Justice student team members Windy Thomas and Charlotte Morthorpe.

A team of Justice majors recently completed an update of the "Field Manual for Alaska Peace Officers," a publication of the Alaska Peace Officers Association (APOA). The pocket manual was first produced in 1978 and is a compilation of selected Alaska state statutes. Joe Young, Business Manager of APOA, approached Dr. Allan Barnes, Justice Center Acting Director, for assistance with this project. Students of Dr. Allan Barnes worked to update the manual which is distributed to all APOA members free of charge.

APOA was organized in 1947 and currently has 1,200 members. The organization is an inter-agency group, and members are from local, state, and federal levels of law enforcement, corrections, and the prosecutors' offices.

Fall 2010 issue of Alaska Justice Forum

The most recent issue of the Alaska Justice Forum features articles on school resource officers (SROs); methamphetamine prevention efforts; and a recent 9th Circuit ruling on felon disenfranchisement. The 8-page issue includes the following articles:

"Police in Schools: Public Perceptions" by Brad A. Myrstol

This articles provides a history of School Resource Officers (SROs) — certified, sworn police officers who are employed by a local police agency but are assigned to work in local schools — and presents results of public perceptions of SROs in Anchorage School District schools based on questions in the 2009 Anchorage Community Survey.

"Measuring and Fighting Meth Use in Alaska and the U.S." by Marny Rivera and Jenny Baker

A description of efforts nationally and in Alaska to combat the use of methamphetamines, with particular focuse on the work of the Alaska Meth Education (AME) Project, which collaborates with local governments — including the Municipality of Anchorage, Kenai Peninsula Borough, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Fairbanks North Star Borough, and the City and Borough of Juneau — to educate youth and the general public about the dangers of meth use.

"9th Circuit Update: En Banc Order Vacates Felon Disenfranchisement Opinion" by Deborah Periman

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit stood alone among the circuits in holding, in Farrakhan v. Gregoire, that state law denying felons the right to vote is a violation of section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, where discrimination in the state’s criminal justice system results in race-based denial of the vote. Now an en banc order by the 9th Circuit has vacated that decision, which was discussed in a previous Forum article. Implications of this decision are discussed.

Justice lecture with George Mason University Prof. Jon Gould

Prof. Jon Gould, Director of the Center for Justice, Law and Society at George Mason University, spoke to a packed room of UAA students and the public about "Studying Racial Fairness in the Civil Justice System" on November 18 at the UAA campus.

Prof. Deb Periman, Justice faculty, opened the program and introduced Alaska Supreme Court Justice Dan Winfree, Co-chair of the Court's Fairness & Access Initiatives Committee. Justice Winfree addressed the group briefly and then turned the program over to Prof. Gould. Prof. Gould discussed the data on racial fairness that is currently available, his research for several courts, various research models, and he outlined the areas requiring further investigation. The event closed with a lively question and answer session with the audience.

The program was sponsored by the Alaska Bar Association, the Alaska Supreme Court's Fairness & Access Initiatives Committee, and the UAA Justice Center.

Pictured: Prof. Gould addressing the attendees.

Photo by Barbara Hood, Alaska Court System.

Dr. Chamard assists with community conversations about homelessness

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice Center faculty, will be assisting on a project funded by the Alaska Humanities Forum called “Strengthening Community through Conversation: Difficult Dialogues about Homelessness in Anchorage.” Dr. Susan Bomalaski, the Executive Director of Catholic Social Services, will lead the project which entails convening a series of five community dialogues around the issue of homelessness in Anchorage.

Dr. Chamard’s role, as the Humanities Scholar, will be to identify and invite prospective participants from the community, and review the questions that will be asked at the dialogues.

The goals of the project are to “honor the human connection, create a community where all are valued, and provide a forum where people with divergent views are given the opportunity to move towards seeing the ‘Other’ as self.”

The project will begin in 2011 and continue through the year. A final report will be issued which includes a compilation of survey results from the participants in the five dialogues. The events for this project are planned to be held on the UAA Campus.

Justice Center exhibits at recent Majors Fair

The Justice Center participated in the UAA Majors Fair held November 15, 2010 in the Student Union. The sponsor of the event, the Advising & Testing Center, reported that nearly 200 students visited the 35 different UAA colleges and departments providing information on various majors.

Pictured at the event (left to right) are Justice faculty member Dr. Brad Myrstol and student Andrew Haines.

Prof. Brandeis speaks to Anchorage young lawyers

Prof. Jason Brandeis, Justice faculty, was a panel member for the Anchorage Bar Association Young Lawyers Section November 2, 2010 meeting on utilizing a law degree in non-traditional ways.

A panel of attorneys engaged in work other than private or public law practice discussed the variety of career paths open to holders of a J.D. degree. Prof. Brandeis outlined the opportunities for an attorney in an academic environment.

Dr. Rosay presents to district attorneys conference

Dr. André Rosay of the Justice Center presented the results of the Alaska Victimization Survey to the Alaska District Attorneys Conference in Anchorage in early October. District Attorneys from each of the four state judicial districts and Assistant Attorneys General from the Department of Law were in attendance.

The data from the Victimization Survey includes lifetime and past year measures on the number of adult women in Alaska who experienced intimate partner violence and sexual violence.

Justice lectures with George Mason University Prof. Jon Gould

Prof. Jon Gould, Director of the Center for Justice, Law and Society at George Mason University, presents two free justice lectures in Anchorage.

On Thursday, November 18 at UAA in Social Sciences Building Room 118, Prof. Gould presents "Studying Racial Fairness in the Civil Justice System" from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

"Diversifying State Courts" will be the topic of his lecture on November 19 from 12:00 noon - 1:30 p.m. at the Snowden Training Center, 820 W. 4th Avenue. This program is a brown bag lunch.

These events are sponsored by the Alaska Bar Association, the Alaska Supreme Court's Fairness & Access Initiatives Committee, and the UAA Justice Center.

For more information contact Prof. Deb Periman at 786-1125.

Prof. Periman announces Diversity Committee film showing

Prof. Deb Periman, Justice faculty and chair of the College of Health and Social Welfare (CHSW) Diversity Committee announces the Committee's annual movie night event on Friday, November 12, from 5:00-7:00 in RH 101. The film, "Amreeka,"will be shown, followed by discussion. Admission is free and snacks will be provided.

"Amreeka" is the story of a Palestinian single mom and her teenage son who leave their country and move to the U.S. in an attempt to escape their life of oppression. However, instead of escape, they find themselves greatly affected by the war on Iraq.

Justice Center welcomes new affiliate faculty member – Dr. Darryl Wood

Dr. Darryl Wood, Assistant Professor in the Criminal Justice Department at Washington State University Vancouver, has recently been appointed an affiliate faculty member of the Justice Center. He served on the Justice Center faculty from 1995 to 2007 prior to his move to Washington, and he has been co-author of a number of Justice Center research reports and Alaska Justice Forum articles. While at the Justice Center, he completed the first comprehensive study of turnover in the Village Public Safety Officer (VPSO) program in the largely Alaska Native villages of rural Alaska.

Dr. Wood has conducted research both at the Justice Center and at Washington State University Vancouver on alcohol consumption and prohibition, crime, and policing in the indigenous communities of Alaska and the Canadian Arctic, and on violence against women in rural and urban Alaska. He received his Ph.D. from Simon Fraser University.

Women in Law Enforcement Recruitment Fair a great success

Mary Dombroski talks with U.S. Customs &
Border Protection Chief Officer Kymberly Fernandez.

The October 27, 2010 Women in Law Enforcement Recruitment Fair sponsored by the Women Police of Alaska (WPA) attracted numerous UAA students and non-students interested in law enforcement career opportunities. Women, and also a number of men, attended the fair to talk to federal and state law enforcement agency representatives from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), FBI, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, Alaska Air National Guard Security Forces, Fairbanks Police Department, Alaska State Troopers, University Police Department, and the Women Police of Alaska.

The event was presented with the support of the Alaska State Troopers, the Alaska Association of Chiefs of Police, and the UAA Justice Center.

Anchorage Police Department Detective Michele Logan (left), President of the Women Police of Alaska (WPA), and Maxine Andrews, Program Manager for the Alaska Association of Chiefs of Police, and WPA web master.

Zahkia Jones and Moria Washington discuss career options with Alaska State Trooper Sgt. Maurice Hughes

Prof. Brandeis lectures via Skype to Brooklyn high school class

Prof. Jason Brandeis, Justice faculty, was invited to lecture on free speech and the "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" case via Skype to a Brooklyn, New York high school class on October 8, 2010. City Polytechnic High School teacher Allegra Felter knew that Prof. Brandeis had been one of the attorneys who represented Joseph Frederick in Morse v. Frederick, a student free speech case argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2007. Frederick was a student at Juneau-Douglas High School in Juneau.

Ms. Felter contacted Prof. Brandeis and arranged for him to speak to her class of 55 students via Skype. Students were very curious about the case and asked a number of questions. They were excited to interact and find out more about this pivotal free expression case, especially because it concerns the rights of students in schools. Prof. Brandeis hopes to continue this kind of technology outreach to high school students about constitutional and other legal issues.

Pictured above left: City Polytechnic High School students ask questions of Prof. Brandeis on the screen.

Dr. Rosay awarded contract from Office of the Governor

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, was recently awarded a contract from the Office of the Governor to provide research services to support the Governor’s Initiative to end the epidemic of domestic violence and sexual assault in Alaska. Dr. Rosay will partner with the Office of the Governor and the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault to establish baselines in case outcomes and recidivism.

In addition, he will build research and evaluation capacity to monitor the effectiveness of the Initiative. During this contract period of fall 2010, Dr. Rosay will still be employed by UAA, but Dr. Allan Barnes will serve as Acting Director for the Justice Center.

Justice faculty speak at 2010 American Society of Criminology conference

Justice faculty will be presenting on several topics at the 2010 American Society of Criminology conference in San Francisco November 17-20.

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice faculty, is presenting a poster session describing the "Alaska Victimization Survey: From Research to Policy and Practice" on November 18.

Dr. Rivera is also participating in a thematic panel session on November 17 and presenting her paper on "Promoting Reunification through Family Focused Collaborative Treatment Services and System Change" related to the Permanency Project offered in southern Oregon.

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, will discuss his paper, "Does Changing Ownership Change Crime? An Analysis of Apartment Ownership and Crime in Cincinnati"on November 19. He will present a poster session, "Section 8 Housing and Crime: Screwed or Skewed?" with his co-authors from the University of Cincinnati School of Criminal Justice on November 18.

The American Society of Criminology is an international organization whose members pursue scholarly, scientific, and professional knowledge concerning the measurement, etiology, consequences, prevention, control, and treatment of crime and delinquency.

Justice Club bake sale raises funds for projects

The Justice Club bake sale fund-raiser held October 28, 2010 brought in money for club projects including shuttle bus transportation for field trips to correctional facilities and other justice agencies. Home-baked and retail goodies were available for purchase.

Pictured left to right in the spirit of Halloween are Kristen Doughty, president, in orange prison garb and Rae Posey, vice-president, in police attire. Also pictured is student-customer, Rebecca Coolidge.

Prof. Periman presents to paralegals

Prof. Deb Periman, Justice faculty, recently made two presentations to paralegal groups. She addressed Alaska Department of Law paralegals at an in-house staff development program on October 8, 2010 on the topic of legal citations and common mistakes in legal writing. On October 22, 2010, Prof. Periman discussed legal writing and grammar at a workshop for the Alaska Association of Paralegals.

Prof. Brandeis interviewed for UA Press book, "Bong Hits 4 Jesus"

Prof. Jason Brandeis, Justice faculty, was interviewed for the recently published University of Alaska Press book, "Bong Hits 4 Jesus: A Perfect Constitutional Storm in Alaska's Capital." Author James C. Foster consulted with Prof. Brandeis, who was one of the attorneys who represented Joseph Frederick in Morse v. Frederick, a student free speech case argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2007.

Dr. Myrstol completes Northwest Arkansas Community Survey

Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice faculty, recently completed the Northwest Arkansas Community Survey 2010: Final Report for the University of Arkansas Community and Family Institute. This report is part of the ongoing Northwest Arkansas Community Indicators Project which Dr. Myrstol participated in while a faculty member of the University of Arkansas. The 2010 report was a collaborative effort between the University of Arkansas Community and Family Institute and the University of Alaska Anchorage Justice Center.

Summer 2010 issue of Alaska Justice Forum

The most recent issue of the Alaska Justice Forum features articles on civil legal assistance in Alaska and the U.S., a history and guide to Alaska pro bono programs, a comparison of gun ownership in Anchorage and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, and two pilot programs initiated by the Criminal Justice Working Group.

The 12-page issue includes the following articles:

"Unmet Legal Needs in the U.S. and Alaska" by Barbara Armstrong

Concern about access to justice for low-income individuals prompted to founding in 1876 of the first legal aid society in the U.S. Currently, the largest provider of civil legal assistance to the poor is the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit created by Congress in the 1970s, which funds programs in all 50 states, including the Alaska Legal Services Corporation (ALCS). This article desribes civil legal assistance and pro bono programs provided by LSC, ALSC, and other legal aid and pro bono organizations in Alaska and the U.S. which are attempting to address the "justice gap" for impovershed persons.
A web supplement provides additional map and tables with statistics from Alaska pro bono organizations describing lawyer participation, cases, and number of clients assisted, as well as additional information on poverty rates and Alaska Court System service locations.

"Pro Bono Programs in Alaska"

This article gives a history and overview of programs in Alaska which provide pro bono legal services — free legal representation — by volunteer attorneys to low-income persons.

"Correlates of Gun Ownership in Anchorage and the Mat-Su Borough" by Sharon Chamard

Data from two residential surveys conducted by the Justice Center — the 2009 Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Survey and the 2009–2010 Anchorage Community Survey — provides the basis for this descriptive comparison of correlates of firearm ownership in the Municipality of Anchorage and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

"Two Pilot Projects in the Alaska Court System" by Teresa White Carns

This article describes two pilot projects in Alaska initiated by the Criminal Justice Working Group (CJWG). The goal of PACE (Probationer Accountability with Certain Enforcement), modeled on Hawaii's successful Project HOPE, is to reduce substance abuse, technical violations, and incarceration for probationers. Electronic Exchange of Discovery will allow law enforcement agencies and state and municipal prosecutors in Juneau (the pilot location) to electronically share discoverable information and reports in criminal cases.

"New Faculty"

Professors Troy Payne and Jason Brandeis have joined the Justice Center faculty as of the Fall 2010 semester.

"Rosay Awarded Contract"

Dr. André B. Rosay has been awarded a contract from the Office of the Governor to provide research services to support the Governor’s Initiative to end the epidemic of domestic violence and sexual assault in Alaska.

Dr. Rosay presents at the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Sustainability and Future Visions meeeting

Dr. André Rosay presented results from the 2010 Alaska Victimization Survey at the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault’s "Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Sustainability and Future Visions" meeting held October 19 and 20, 2010 in Anchorage. Dr. Rosay also discussed the development of outcome measures for Sexual Assault Response Teams. The meeting was a statewide discussion of SART and was designed to review the history of Sexual Assault Response Teams in Alaska, to discuss current practices, and to define the future direction of Sexual Assault Response Teams in Alaska.

Dr. Rivera reports outcome evaluation of Oregon Adult Drug Court

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice faculty, will present the results of her outcome evaluation of the Jackson County Adult Drug Court at the Oregon Treatment Courts annual retreat on Friday, October 22, 2010 in Medford, Oregon. The focus of the outcome evaluation is on recidivism rates for program participants. The Jackson County Court homepage describes the current treatment court programs.

Dr. Andre Rosay appointed to Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Initiative Workgroup

Dr. André Rosay was recently appointed to the Governor’s Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Initiative Workgroup. The purpose of the workgroup is to inform decision making across Alaska to reduce domestic violence and sexual assault. The workgroup is currently focusing on establishing baseline data for the Governor’s Initiative to end the epidemic of domestic violence and sexual assault in Alaska. In addition, the workgroup is investigating strategies that will work to turn the curve on domestic violence and sexual assault. Members of the workgroup include state, local, and tribal representatives. Dr. Rosay presented baseline data from the 2010 Alaska Victimization Survey at the October 13, 2010 workgroup meeting in Anchorage.

Dr. Rosay participates in the Victims’ Advocates and Behavioral Health Providers Conference

Dr. André Rosay recently attended and participated in the Victims’ Advocates and Behavioral Health Providers Conference held October 11, 12, and 13, 2010 in Anchorage. The conference was hosted by the Office of the Governor, the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, and the Department of Health and Social Services (Division of Behavioral Health). The conference brought together victims’ advocates and behavioral health providers to develop a foundational framework for victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Results from the 2010 Alaska Victimization Survey were presented by Dr. Rosay to provide baseline data on population indicators.

SAC Director McKelvie receives Bureau of Justice Statistics grant

Alan McKelvie, Director of the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (SAC), has received a grant from the Bureau of Justice Statistics for FY2010-2011 to expand on the work begun in FY 2009-2010 compiling a library of standardized information exchange packages.

The standardized information exchange packages will include data such as incident reports, criminal intakes and dispositions, booking forms, criminal fingerprint cards, citation forms, and criminal complaints, and will be made available to criminal justice agencies statewide through the SAC website.

This project is part of the U.S. Department of Justice National Information Exchange Model (NIEM). The Alaska Statistical Analysis Center is housed at the UAA Justice Center.

Dr. Chamard gives tour for Neighborhoods USA board members

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice Center faculty, assisted the Federation of Community Councils by narrating a tour for the members of the board of directors of Neighborhoods, USA (NUSA). The group was in town on a site visit prior to the 2011 NUSA Conference, which will be held May 25-28 in Anchorage.

The September 30 tour began in Fairview, where Dr. Chamard, along with Anchorage Police Department Community Action Policing (CAP) Team members Lt. Garry Gilliam and Acting Sergeant Jennifer Haywood, talked about the public safety challenges in the neighborhood, and how the community and police have worked together to address these concerns. The tour continued into Spenard, where the past presidents of that neighborhood’s community council, Matt Burkholder and Jason Bergerson, discussed efforts of the community and the CAP Team to solve problems associated with budget motels and after-hour clubs. Community policing is one of Dr. Chamard's research areas. Dr. Chamard is also president of the Fairview Community Council.

Neighborhoods, USA is a national non-profit organization committed to building and strengthening neighborhood organizations. Created in 1975 to share information and experiences toward building stronger communities, NUSA now continues to encourage networking and information sharing to facilitate the development of partnerships between neighborhood organizations, government, and the private sector.

Women in Law Enforcement Recruitment Fair to be held Oct 27

A Women in Law Enforcement Recruitment Fair will beheld on Wednesday, October 27, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the UAA Student Union next to the Wells Fargo Sports Complex. Parking is free. This event is open to everyone.

Representatives from municipal, state, and federal law enforcement agencies statewide will be participating. This program is sponsored by the Women Police of Alaska with the support of the Alaska State Troopers, the Alaska Association of Chiefs of Police, and the UAA Justice Center.

Although Alaska's population is 49% female, only about 10% of sworn law enforcement officers are women. Law enforcement agencies are actively recruiting for female officers.

For more information, call the Justice Center at 786-1810.

Statewide Victimization Survey results highlighted on KSKA radio program

Katie TePas, Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Response Coordinator in the Office of the Governor and a coauthor of several Justice Center reports and Alaska Justice Forum articles on domestic violence and sexual assault, was interviewed on KSKA’s “Kids These Days!” on October 5, 2010. The focus of the program was “Preventing Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault in Alaska.” Other interview guests included Sgt. Cindi Stanton, head of the Anchorage Police Department Crimes Against Children Unit, and Ginger Baim, executive director of Safe & Fear-Free Environment (SAFE).

The interview highlighted the recently released results of the first Statewide Victimization Survey conducted in May and June of this year. Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, presented the results which showed high rates of violence against women in Alaska at a press conference on September 30, 2010 at UAA. The study was commissioned by the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.

Justice Club meeting October 1, and minutes from September 17

The Justice Club will hold its second meeting of the Fall 2010 semester on Friday, October 1 at 2 PM in the Consortium Library, room 207b (just up the hall from the Justice Center). Justice Club will meet every other Friday at 2 PM during the semester; a permanent room assignment for the meetings is pending.

Notes from the September 17 meeting:

Attendance: 10 people

Topics:
1. What is the Justice Club focused on?

• Networking
• Events (tours / speakers)

2. Tours members would like to participate in:

• Crime Lab
• Medical Examiner’s Office
• Facility tour -> Anchorage Jail?
• Meeting with District Attorney
• Meeting with Public Defender
• Anchorage Police Department
• AK State Troopers
• FBI (maybe)

3. Club t-shirt – long sleeve preferred

4. Halloween Carnival:

• October 30th
• Mock jail cell with APD fingerprints & photos – Jake will work on fixing photo problem

5. Majors fair – October 15th from 11-2

6. Club council – make sure to give them information regarding room rental & event notices

7. Parties:

• Club Council – Winter Festivities Party
• End of Semester Justice Club Mixer

8. Would the club like to volunteer?

• Some say yes
• Upcoming opportunity: Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Bar Association

9. Possible LSAT prep meeting / lecture

10. Justice Club will meet every other Friday at 2pm; next meeting is October 1st

Reviewed and approved as to content by Kristen Doughty, Justice Club President

For more information about the Justice Club, see the Justice Club home page.

2010 Alaska Victimization Survey shows high rates of violence against women in Alaska

Stephanie McFadden, Chair of the Council
on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault,
described the research partnership between
CDVSA and the UAA Justice Center.

CDVSA Executive Director Sandy Samaniego
Sexual Assault, delivered closing remarks.

The UAA Justice Center and the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA) held a joint press conference on September 30 to introduce the results of the 2010 Alaska Victimization Survey conducted by the Justice Center through a contract with CDVSA. Researchers surveyed 871 women throughout Alaska by telephone in May–June 2010.

Research was conducted by André B. Rosay, Marny Rivera, and Brad Myrstol of the UAA Justice Center; Sandy Samaniego and Lauree Morton of the CDVSA; and Darryl S. Wood of Washington State University Vancouver. The study provides the first definitive measures of the incidence and prevalence of intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women in Alaska.

Dr. André Rosay of the UAA Justice
Center presented study findings.

Study findings were presented by Dr. André B. Rosay, Director of the Justice Center. Among the findings:

• 58.6% of Alaska women experienced at least one incident of intimate partner violence or sexual violence over their lifetime.
• 11.8% experienced at least one incident of intimate partner violence or sexual violence during the last year prior to the survey.

The complete Powerpoint slideshow of study findings presented during the conference can be found on the UAA Justice Center website.

Other presenters at the press conference included Stephanie McFadden, chair of the CDVSA, who provided an overview of the partnership between CDVSA and the Justice Center in conducting the survey; a panel question and answer session with Col. Audie Holloway of the Alaska State Troopers, Nancy Haag of Standing Together Against Rape (STAR), Suzi Pearson of Abused Women's Aid in Crisis (AWAIC), and Sandy Samaniego, executive director of CDVSA.

Col. Audie Holloway of the Alaska State Troopers, Nancy Haag of STAR, Suzi Pearson
of AWAIC, and Sandy Samaniego of CDVSA addressed audience questions.

Several stories on results of the study have already appeared in the Alaska press:

• “One in four Alaska women victims of rape or attempted rape, survey says” by Alex DeMarban (Tundra Drums).
• “Survey reveals higher rate of violence against Alaska women: ALASKA: 59 percent of women in poll experienced violence, threats” by Lisa Demer (Anchorage Daily News).
• “Study paints stark portrait of Alaska domestic violence” (video) by Christine Kim (KTUU Channel 2 News).
• “Survey Shows More Alaskan Women Victims of Sexual Assault ” (video) by Alexis Fernandez (KTVA Channel 11 News) (text of story here).
• “Shockingly High Rate of Violence Against Women Found in Alaska” (audio) by Ellen Lockyer (KSKA Anchorage Public Radio and Alaska Public Radio Network).
• "AK's domestic, sexual violence: Not just bad, AWFUL" (Alaska Dispatch).
• "Alaska women report high rate of domestic violence" by the Associated Press (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner).

Alaska State Senator Hollis French, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, pledged in a press release dated October 1, 2010, that there would be a full hearing on the results of this first statewide victimization survey. The survey was part of the recommendations of the Senate Judiciary Committee's 2009 report, "Reducing Sexual Assault in Alaska."

Additional photos from the UAA Justice Center of the press conference have been compiled into a slideshow:

Dr. Chamard presents Anchorage Community Survey data

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, and principal investigator for the 2009 Anchorage Community Survey, will present the findings from this biannual survey to the Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force (ACPRTF) at a Community Update meeting on Monday, October 4, at 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at the Fairview Community Recreation Center. This event is open to the public.

For more information on the ACPRTF or the meeting, please contact Marie Husa at 343-4338.

Statewide Victimization Survey press conference

The UAA Justice Center and the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA) will hold a joint press conference to introduce the results of the Statewide Victimization Survey conducted this year by the Justice Center through a contract with CDVSA. The press conference will be Thursday, September 30, 2010 at 10:00 a.m., UAA Commons, Room 107.

This statewide victimization survey provides the first definitive measures of incidence and prevalence, which can be used to provide greater empirical support for responses to, and prevention of, violence against women.

Click here for a campus map. UAA Commons is off Elmore Road. Free parking is available in the Willow and the Spruce Lots during this event.

For more information, contact the Justice Center at 907-786-1810 or anbaa@uaa.alaska.edu.

Prof. Brandeis is faculty respondent for UAA debate team

Prof. Jason Brandeis, Justice faculty, was one of four faculty respondents for the UAA Speech and Debate Team on the topic, "The time has come to abandon race-based preferences in university admissions," on Thursday, September 16. The other faculty respondents were Dr. Robert Boeckmann, Psychology Department; Dean Cheryl Easley, College of Health and Social Welfare; and Dr. Diane Hirshberg, Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER).

Faculty respondents listen intently to debaters (left to right) Dr. Robrt Boeckmann,
Dean Cheryl Easley, Prof. Jason Brandeis, and Dr. Diane Hirshberg.

Debate team members Michaela Hernandez, Colin Haughey, Drew Cason, and Brett Frazer presented their arguments to a packed audience of students, faculty, and the public.

This free, public event is sponsored by the UAA Center for Faculty Excellence (CAFE) and the UAA/APU Ford Foundation Difficult Dialogues Program.

Listen to a podcast of the debate and the faculty discussion and public q&a.

Dr. Everett interviewed by KNBA

Dr. Ron Everett, Justice faculty, was interviewed by Joaqlin Estus of KNBA 90.3 Radio about sentencing disparity in the Alaska justice system. The interview aired Monday, September 20, 2010.

Research by the Alaska Judicial Council and the Alaska Justice Center on sentencing disparities can be found on the Justice Center website. Research by the Alaska Judicial Council on other topics can be found on its website.

Justice Club begins Fall 2010 activities

From Kristen Doughty
Justice Club President

Hello everyone!

We are finally up and running this semester and will be having our first meeting on Friday, September 17 at 2 PM in the Library, room 207b, which is located near the Justice Center.

Thank you for your patience as our new officers have had a very busy start to the semester. We will be holding club meetings every other Friday at 2pm. Once we receive our permanent room assignment an email will be sent out to all members of the club so you will know where to go.
Our current officers are:

• President: Kristen Doughty
• Vice President: Rae Posey
• Treasurer: Sarah Peterson
• Club Council Delegate and Events Coordinator: Joelle Davis

I will be purging the Justice Club e-mail list this weekend so please make sure to get your applications and dues turned in if you would like to stay on the e-mail list. For those of you who are new to the club, applications can be found on the Justice Center website or in the Justice Center by the front desk. Our club dues are $5.00 for the semester or $8.00 for the year. The Justice Center cannot accept cash payments so if you plan to leave your dues with the application in the Justice Center, please make sure you bring a check. Otherwise payments can be accepted by any officer.

We are currently in need of a secretary for the club so if you are interested in getting involved please let us know. Anyone applying for an officers position must be enrolled in at least 9 credits with a 2.0 or better GPA and must be able to attend the meetings.

I am looking forward to a great semester with everyone and hope to see you all on Friday for our first meeting.

Thanks,
Kristen Doughty
Justice Club President

For more information about the Justice Club, see the Justice Club home page.

Prof. Brandeis is faculty respondent for UAA debate team

Prof. Jason Brandeis, Justice Center faculty, will be one of the faculty respondents for the UAA Speech and Debate Team program on the topic, “The time has come to abandon race-based preferences in university admissions," on Thursday, September 16, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in Library 307, UAA/APU Consortium Library.

The program features the award-winning UAA Speech and Debate team, faculty respondents, and audience discussion. This free, public event is sponsored by the UAA Center for Faculty Excellence (CAFE) and the UAA/APU Ford Foundation Difficult Dialogues Program.

This event is part of a series of debates and discussions sponsored by the UAA Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence since 2003 to offer the Anchorage community access to university resources as a basis for discussions of policies and issues affecting their future. For information contact aner@uaa.alaska.edu or 786-4605

Dr. Myrstol attends ICPSR workshop on statistical modeling

Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice faculty, attended a week-long workshop, August 16-20, on "Analyzing Multilevel & Mixed Models Using Stata," at the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

The focus of this workshop was using statistical models to analyze "nested" data - that is, data collected at multiple levels of analysis (for example, the criminal victimization of individuals within particular neighborhoods). Multi-level modeling techniques allow researchers to isolate the independent effects of both Level-1 (e.g., characteristics of individuals) and Level-2 (e.g., neighborhood characteristics) factors on important outcomes of interest (e.g., criminal victimization). Dr. Myrstol will be using these methods in his research on procedural justice and legal legitimacy.

ICPSR is a unit of the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. Its mission is to acquire and preserve social science data, to provide open and equitable access to these data, and to promote effective data use.