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.