Winter holiday closure

The Justice Center, along with the rest of the UAA campus, will be closed for the winter holiday break starting on Friday, December 23, 2011 due to heavy snow and road conditions. We will reopen for our normal business hours on Wednesday, January 4, 2012.

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

Justice grad publishes article in journal of American Society of Criminology

G. Matthew Snodgrass, B.A. Justice with Research Honors '06, and currently a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy and Management at the H. John Heinz III College at Carnegie Mellon University, has co-authored an article, "Does the Time Cause the Crime? An Examination of the Relationship Between Time Served and Reoffending in the Netherlands," which appears in the November 2011 issue of Criminology: An Interdisciplinary Journal, a publication of the American Society of Criminology. The article, which uses a sample of Dutch offenders serving an average of 6.7 months confinement to examine the relationship between time served in prison and future criminality, appears online.

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 Center faculty and staff meet with College of Health Dean

L to r: College of Health Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Russ Pressley, Interim Dean Bill Hogan,
and Associate Dean Susan Kaplan check last minute details before the meeting begins.

Justice Center faculty and staff met with College of Health Interim Dean Bill Hogan, Associate Dean Susan Kaplan, and Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Russ Pressley on December 19 to share information about the Justice Center's mission and accomplishments, and to discuss the new College of Health programs. Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director,  made a presentation highlighting the Center's current projects, research, and publications, and outlining the return on investment made by the Center during the year. The Justice Center is under the newly re-organized College of Health.

Justice Center Director André Rosay and Statistical Analysis Center Director Alan McKelvie listen to comments
by Dean Hogan.

College of Health Interim Dean Bill Hogan discusses transdisciplinary work in the college.

Associate Dean of Student Affairs Russ Pressley outlines the new "one stop shopping" center that will
be set up for academic counseling and advising of  College of Health students.

L to r: Interim Dean Bill Hogan and Justice Center Director André Rosay pause after the meeting.

Dr. Chamard interviewed for tent cities report by National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty and Yale Law School project

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice Center faculty, was recently interviewed by Julie Hunter of the Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic at Yale Law School, for a report about tent cities in the U.S. The report is being done in partnership with the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty.

Dr. Sharon Chamard authored a monograph entitled, "Homeless Encampments," for the Problem-Oriented Guides for Police Problem-Specific Guides Series, and was asked to give her perspective on this topic for the upcoming report.

The goal of the report is to document the rise of tent cities in this country since the beginning of the economic downturn and will look at:

• benefits and disadvantages of tent cities, 
• practical obstacles faced by tent city managers and residents, 
• local government responses, and 
• legal and practical resources available to ameliorate and support the situation of tent city residents.

Dr. Chamard's monograph was released as part of the series published by the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, U.S. Department of Justice.

The monograph describes the problem of homeless encampments (also known as transient camps) and reviews contributing factors. It identifies a series of questions to help police and other decision-makers analyze their local problems with homeless encampments, and then presents a review of responses to the problem and what is known about them from evaluative research and police practice.

Dr. Rivera represents Justice Center at UA Behavioral Health Alliance meeting

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice faculty, represented the Justice Center at the December 2 meeting of the University of Alaska Behavioral Health Alliance.

The Behavioral Health Alliance is a statewide University of Alaska inter-disciplinary task group formed to identify issues concerning behavioral health programs in the UA system, and to work to enhance communication, coordination, and collaboration between and within academic disciplines.  The Alliance works with behavioral health industry providers in seeking ways to meet needs in behavioral health professional education across the state.

The Alliance was formed in 2007 with a focus on "the need to train people in behavioral health occupations where they live."   Among recent accomplishments, the task group has integrated cross-cultural knowledge and understanding across behavioral health disciplines, and increased capacity for effective distance education in behavioral health programs. All 3 major academic units - UAA, UAF, and UAS - rely on distance education to make courses available statewide.

The next meeting will be February 24, 2012 at UAA.

Alaska State Troopers Director Col. Mallard speaks to students about Trooper career opportunities

Alaska State Troopers Director Col. Keith Mallard talks to students about career options.

Col. Keith Mallard, Director of the Alaska State Troopers (AST), spoke to students on December 2 about AST career opportunities and the current need for Village Public Safety Officers (VPSOs) in rural Alaska.  He gave a brief outline of the history of the Troopers in Alaska, and highlighted the variety of sworn and non-sworn positions in the Troopers, including fiscal techs, recruitment, IT techs, Wildlife Troopers, K-9 handler Troopers, VPSOs, and Court Services Officers.

There are 5 Alaska State Troopers detachments statewide.  The Alaska Bureau of Investigation is also under the command of Col. Mallard and encompasses the Major Crimes Unit, the Technical Crimes Unit, the Financial Crimes Unit, and the Statewide Drug Unit.

More information on applying for a position with the Troopers is on their website.

Alaska State Troopers personnel, UAA Justice Center faculty, and Alpha Phi Sigma President pose after the event. L to r back row: Jennifer Gordon, AST Recruitment; Laura Spire, AST Recruitment, Dr. Troy Payne, Justice Club Faculty Advisor.  L to r front row: Dr. Marny Rivera, Alpha Phi Sigma Faculty Advisor; Col. Keith Mallard, Alaska State Troopers Director; Heather MacAlpine, President, Alpha Phi Sigma. Not pictured, Dr. Brad Myrstol, Alpha Phi Sigma  Faculty Advisor and Dr. Jason Brandeis, Justice Club Faculty Advisor.

This event was sponsored by Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Society - Omega Xi Chapter, the Justice Club, and UAA Native Student Services. The event was held at the UAA Native Student Services Center.

Steven Barnes, wrongly imprisoned for 20 years, podcast on KSKA Addressing Alaskans

Steven Barnes speaking at UAA to an overflow crowd on November 2, 2011

The November 2, 2011 presentation at UAA by Steven Barnes, wrongfully imprisoned for 20 years, was podcast on December 8 by KSKA Addressing Alaskans.

Mr. Barnes was convicted of rape and murder based on questionable eyewitness identification and evidence in 1989 and was finally exonerated in 2009 through DNA testing obtained by the Innocence Project.

He told the story of his life in prison and his ultimate exoneration at an event cosponsored by the Alaska Innocence Project and the UAA Justice Center.

Dr. Rosay invited to USDOJ Office on Violence against Women Section 904 Task Force Meeting

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, is an invited speaker to the Section 904 Task Force Meeting of the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women scheduled for December 14, 2011 in New Mexico.  Dr. Rosay will provide an overview of the Alaska Victimization Survey and its impact on policy and practice in Alaska.

The Section 904 Task Force was established by Title IX of the Violence Against Women Act of 2005 to assist the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to develop and implement a program of research on violence against Indian women, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and murder.  The goals of this effort are to evaluate the effectiveness of the Federal, state, and tribal response to violence against Indian women, and to propose recommendations to improve the government response.

The 904 Task Force Meeting is held during the Interdepartmental Tribal Justice, Safety, & Wellness Session on the Santa Ana Pueblo in New Mexico.  This session provides government-to-government consultation, training, and technical assistance in the areas of justice, safety, and wellness.

Last round of mock oral arguments held in Prof. Brandeis' courts and civil liberties class

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Justice faculty, held the last round of mock trial arguments in his Justice 344 "Courts and Civil Liberties" course on Monday, December 5. A moot court is a mock appellate court proceeding which involves the presentation of oral argument before a panel of judges. Students are divided into teams and prepare arguments for hypothetical cases.  Their arguments are then presented before a panel of  judges (including Prof. Brandeis) composed of lawyer volunteers. All of the volunteer lawyers for this session were from the Alaska Public Defender Agency, Appeals Office: Kelly Taylor, Michael Schwaiger, and Tracey Wollenberg, Supervisor of the Appeals Office.

Front row l to r:: Shawdean Hutchison, Leonee May, volunteer lawyer Tracey Wollenberg, Heather MacAlpine, Kristen Crain Robinson, and Jasen Johansen. Back row l to r: Prof. Jason Brandeis, Spencer Raidme, Michael Batch, volunteer lawyer Kelly Taylor, volunteer lawyer Michael Schwaiger, and Coleman Alguire.

The judges pose questions to the students and evaluate their presentation. The hypothetical cases address such issues as alternative criminal sentencing, the establishment clause (separation of church and state), student free speech rights, second amendment right to bear arms, privacy and technology issues, free speech and political protest, and equal rights and protection from discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Student Heather MacAlpine presents her oral argument.

Student Michael Batch responds to a question from the panel.

L to r: Volunteer lawyers Tracey Wollenberg and Kelly Taylor, Prof. Jason Brandeis, and volunteer lawyer Michael Schwaiger discuss the cases prior to the mock oral arguments.

Forum author interviewed by KSKA about immigrants in Alaska

Antonia Moras, former editor of the Alaska Justice Forum and author of  "Immigrants in Alaska: Authorized and Unauthorized," which appears in the Summer/Fall issue of the Alaska Justice Forum, was interviewed by KSKA's Len Anderson as part of  the station's  "Changing Faces" series.

Ms. Moras' article describes how our immigrant population is lower and place of origin of immigrants differs from other states, and the comparatively few unauthorized immigrants in Alaska .  She also discusses immigration court proceedings and the increasing length of time to adjudicate cases both here and in the rest of the U.S.
 
Listen for the full story:
"State's Immigrant Population Lower than Average" (by Len Anderson, KSKA, December 1, 2011)





The Anchorage Daily News also carried a story about this article:
"Alaska has few than average immigrants, higher percentage Asian" (December 2, 2011)

Alaska State Troopers Director Col. Mallard speaks about Trooper career opps and need for Village Public Safety Officers on Dec 2

Col. Keith Mallard, Director of the  Alaska State Troopers (AST), will discuss AST career opportunities and the current need for Village Public Safety Officers (VPSOs) in rural Alaska on Friday, December 2, 2011 at 3:00 p.m. in Rasmuson Hall 108, Native Student Services Center.  Captain Steven Arlow was originally scheduled to speak, but is unable to attend.

This event is sponsored by Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Society - Omega Xi Chapter, the Justice Club, and UAA Native Student Services.

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

2nd round of mock oral arguments in Prof. Brandeis' courts and civil liberties class

Front row l to r: Doanh Tran, Tonia Glen, Joelle Davis, Amber Evans, Rebecca Noblin (volunteer lawyer), Robbin Smith. Back row l to r: Carina Uraiqat (volunteer lawyer), B.J. Lapham, Lauren Nelson, Marika Athens (volunteer lawyer), Phillip Parmenter, Prof. Jason Brandeis.

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Justice faculty, held the second session of mock trial arguments in his Justice 344 "Courts and Civil Liberties" course on Wednesday, November 30. A moot court is a mock appellate court proceeding which involves the presentation of oral argument before a panel of judges. Students are divided into teams and prepare arguments for hypothetical cases.  Their arguments are then presented before a panel of  judges (including Prof. Brandeis) composed of lawyer volunteers. Rebecca Noblin, Alaska Director, Center for Biological Diversity; Carina Uraiqat, Assistant District Attorney, Alaska Department of Law; and Marika Athens, Assistant Attorney General, Office of Special Prosecutions and Appeals - Special Prosecutions Unit, Alaska Department of Law, participated as judges for this session.

The judges pose questions to the students and evaluate their presentation. The hypothetical cases address such issues as alternative criminal sentencing, the establishment clause (separation of church and state), student free speech rights, second amendment right to bear arms, privacy and technology issues, free speech and political protest, and equal rights and protection from discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Mock oral arguments will continue next week with different lawyer volunteers as judges.

Student Amber Evans presents her argument.

L to r: Prof. Brandeis and volunteer lawyers Marika Athens, Rebecca Noblin, and Carina Uraiqat share some judicial humor before the mock oral arguments begin.

Alaska State Troopers Captain Steven Arlow speaks about career opportunities and need for Village Public Safety Officers on Dec 2

Captain Steven Arlow of the Alaska State Troopers (AST) will discuss Trooper career opportunities and the current need for Village Public Safety Officers (VPSOs) in rural Alaska on Friday, December 2, 2011 at 3:00 p.m. in Rasmuson Hall 108.

This event is sponsored by Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Society - Omega Xi Chapter, the Justice Club, and UAA Native Student Services.

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

Dr. Myrstol publishes article on school resource officers in Western Criminology Review

Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice faculty, has recently published, "Public Perceptions of School Resource Officer (SRO) Programs," in  volume 12, number 3 of  Western Criminology Review,  the peer-reviewed journal of the Western Society of Criminology.

About the article:
Prior research examining people’s perceptions of SRO programs has focused on the views of
four stakeholder groups: school administrators, teachers, parents, and students. Notably, however,
no prior studies have assessed the views of the general public, and few have utilized multivariate
analyses in order to identify the factors that shape perceptions of SRO initiatives. Using
community survey data collected in Anchorage, Alaska this study explores the general public’s
awareness of, perceived need for, and belief in the effectiveness of SRO programs, and
systematically examines factors that predict public support for them within a multivariate
framework. Results show that public support for SRO programs is multidimensional and “fuzzy.”
Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Prof. Brandeis holds mock oral arguments in courts and civil liberties class

L to r: Vikam Patel, Prof. Brandeis,
Justin Roberts, and Callie Kim discuss the project.

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Justice faculty, has scheduled a moot court project for his Justice 344 course, "Courts and Civil Liberties." A moot court is a mock appellate court proceeding which involves the presentation of oral argument before a panel of judges. Students are divided into teams and prepare arguments for hypothetical cases.  Their arguments are then presented before a panel of  judges (including Prof. Brandeis) composed of lawyer volunteers. Vikram Patel, Law Office of Vikram Patel; Justin Roberts, General Counsel for IBEW Local 1547; and Callie Kim, Alaska Public Defender Agency, participated as judges for the first arguments.

The judges pose questions to the students and evaluate their presentation. The hypothetical cases address such issues as alternative criminal sentencing, the establishment clause (separation of church and state), student free speech rights, second amendment right to bear arms, privacy and technology issues, free speech and political protest, and equal rights and protection from discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Mock oral arguments will continue this week and next with different lawyer volunteers as judges.

Student David Crozier presents his argument.

Participants in first mock oral arguments. Front row l to r:  Callie Kim (lawyer volunteer), Tamara Douglas, Dawn Leonard, Samantha Cestnik, Mary Dombroski, Vikram Patel (lawyer volunteer). Back row l to r: Justin Roberts (lawyer volunteer), David Crozier, Sean O'Connor, Prof. Jason Brandeis.  Not pictured: Sam Peters and Jennifer Gregory.

Justice major featured in UAA Honors College video

Ezekiel Kaufman, Justice major, is one of several students featured in a video about the University Honors College. Students enrolled in the Honors College complete an enriched curriculum and a thesis project. In the video,  Zeke discusses how being a member of the college has helped him see himself as "a professional."

Zeke's goal is to work as a public policy analyst.  He is currently a research aide to Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice faculty, and is a member and treasurer of Alpha Phi Sigma, the national criminal justice honor society.

Below is the video - Zeke's segment starts at 2:07 into the video.

Summer/Fall 2011 issue of the Alaska Justice Forum

The Summer/Fall 2011 issue of the Alaska Justice Forum features articles on immigrants in Alaska, VPSOs and violence against women cases, Alaska's Five-Year Prisoner Reentry Strategic Plan, and the PACE pilot project for probation violators. The 12-page issue includes the following articles:

Immigrants in Alaska—Authorized and Unauthorized by Antonia Moras

The immigration of most foreign-born residents of Alaska has occurred legally under established laws and regulations. However, the picture of immigration in Alaska—both authorized and unauthorized—differs in some details from the rest of the country as a whole. According to census figures based on an average over the 5-year period of 2005–2009, immigrants from Asian countries formed a greater proportion of the foreign-born population than they did in the U.S. overall. Over one-half of immigrants to Alaska came from Asia. In the country as whole, immigrants from the Americas constitute over 55 percent of the foreign-born, with Mexico being by far the most common country of origin. The article also discusses the increase in and estimated number of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. and Alaska, and place of birth of and labor force participation of unauthorized immigrants. Includes notes on data sources and a bibliography of articles on immigration and noncitizens that have appeared in the Alaska Justice Forum.

Enforcement of Immigration Laws by Antonia Moras

Although there has been increasing involvement by state and local law enforcement, and more politicization of immigration issues at the state and local level, the federal government still has primary responsibility for enforcement of the nation’s immigration laws. Despite relatively few cases, the adjudication of immigration cases in Alaska has slowed dramatically over the last decade, as it has elsewhere. This article also examines immigrant detention Alaska, immigration court proceedings, and the lengthy time for an immigration proceeding, and the enormous backlog of cases.

PACE: A Pilot Project for Probation Violators in Anchorage

Probation Accountability and Certain Enforcement (PACE), based on the Hawaii Court HOPE model, is a pilot project introduced in the Anchorage Superior Court in July 2010. This article presents findings and recommendations from a recent Alaska Judicial Council evaluation of the project, which seeks to deal with probation violations quickly with immediate imposition of a sanction.

Alaska's Five-Year Prisoner Reentry Strategic Plan, 2011–2016

The Five-year Prisoner Reentry Strategic Plan, 2011-2016, released this year by the Alaska Prisoner Reentry Task Force, presents a comprehensive overview of the issues surrounding successful prisoner reentry in Alaska, and makes recommendations for implementation of the plan. Includes a bibliography of resources on prisoner reentry and justice reinvestment.

A Brief Look at VPSOs and Violence Against Women Cases

This article looks at a study of sexual assault (SA) and sexual assault of a minor (SAM) cases reported to Alaska State Troopers in 2003 and 2004 when the first responder was a local paraprofessional police officer— a Village Public Safety Officer (VPSO), Village Police Officer (VPO), or Tribal Police Officer (TPO). The probability of a case being referred to the Alaska Department of Law, of being accepted for prosecution, and resulting in a conviction was greater in most types of SA and SAM cases reported to the Alaska State Troopers when paraprofessional police officers were involved as first responders. Past studies have also demonstrated the positive impact of paraprofessional police in rural Alaska. A brief description of the VPSO program and current VPSO staffing is given. Includes a bibliography of articles on Village Public Safety Officers (VPSOs) and paraprofessional police that have appeared in the Alaska Justice Forum and elsewhere.

U.S. State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies Census 2008 by Bureau of Justice Statistics

Over 1.1 millions persons were employed full-time by state and local law enforcement in the U.S. in 2008, according to the most recent census of state and local law enforcement agencies from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Of that number, 765,000 were sworn personnel – defined as those with general arrest powers. In 2008, Alaska had 1,298 sworn personnel in 50 state and local law enforcement agencies, including 274 sworn officers of the Alaska State Troopers.

Faculty Notes

Marny Rivera, Justice Center faculty member, has been awarded tenure and been promoted to Associate Professor.

Recent Justice Center Faculty Publications

A bibliography of recent publications by Justice Center faculty.

Mat-Su Borough Community Survey 2011 and Trends 2007-2011 released

The Justice Center has released the most recent publication from its Community Indicators Project:

• The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Survey 2011 and Trends 2007–2011: A Sourcebook of Community Attitudes by Dr. Sharon Chamard and Heather MacAlpine

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Survey, conducted annually beginning in 2006, is a cooperative research effort between the Justice Center and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough to collect information about satisfaction with Borough services, household aspirations, and household composition. These data will be used by Borough decision-makers to prioritize projects, improve services, and better plan for the future growth of the Mat-Su Borough.

This year's study was conducted by Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, who also was the principal investigator for the 2008, 2009, and 2010 Mat-Su surveys.Heather MacAlpine, a senior in the Justice B.A. program, assisted with data collection, entry, and analysis.

The survey asks Mat-Su Borough residents to evaluate the quality of Borough services, provide opinions about Borough decision-making, and sum up their perceptions about a range of issues relevant to the present and future of the Mat-Su community. The 2011 survey was distributed to 2,577 adult heads-of-household in the Mat-Su Borough in the late summer and fall of 2011; a total of 1,159 completed surveys were returned, for a response rate of  45%.

This sourcebook presents both the results from the 2011 survey and trends from 2007–2011 in five major areas: (1) evaluation of current borough services; (2) use of borough facilities; (3) life in Mat-Su neighborhoods; (4) local government access, policies, and practices; and (5) respondent background information. Additionally, findings from a derived importance-performance analysis of the survey data are presented, as is a compilation of respondent comments.

See the Justice Center's Community surveys bibliography for a complete list of Justice Center reports and articles from various community surveys, including the Mat-Su Community Survey.

College of Health Diversity Committee presents program on using Native case studies in the classroom

 
The College of Health Diversity Committee presents a program on "Native Case Studies: Using Diverse Case Studies As An Effective Teaching Method" on Friday, November 18, from 11 am - 12:30p.m. in LIB 307.  UAA faculty attended the 6th Annual Enduring Legacies Summer Institute for Writing and Teaching Native Cases sponsored The Evergreen State College in Washington this past summer.  They will share the methods they learned for stimulating student interest and participation by weaving culturally diverse case studies into course curricula.

This event is sponsored by the College of Health (COH), COH Diversity Committee, and CAFE. Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Justice faculty, is Chair of the COH Diversity Committee.

Dr. Chamard moderates Conversation Salon Series discussion on the working poor on January 17

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice Center faculty, will moderate the January 17, 2012 session of the Conversation Salon Series: The Working Poor sponsored by the Anchorage Public Library and  UAA/APU Books of the Year.  The January 17 event will look at "Criminalizing the Working Poor" and is based, as are all the events in the series, on David Shipler's book, The Working Poor: Invisible in America.

Conversation Salon Series discussions are held every third Tuesday of the month, from Septetmber to May, at  5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Ann Stevens Room of the Loussac Library.   The sessions are not presentations, but opportunities for attendees to discuss issues relevant to themselves and the community. For more information contact Nancy Clark at 343-2972.

Justice faculty present at American Society of Criminology annual conference

Justice faculty will be presenting on a variety of topics at the 2011 annual American Society of Criminology Conference on November 16-19 in Washington, D.C.:

 "Using POGIL Techniques in Justice Related Classes: Considerations, Caveats and Conclusions
   Dr. Allan Barnes

"Do Housing Vouchers Increase Crime?"
"Criminogenic Features of Apartment Complexes: Effects of Place Management"
  Dr. Troy Payne

"Self-Protective Measures and Fear of Crime, Social Engagement, Collective Efficacy and Neighborhood Crime Levels"
 Dr. Sharon Chamard

"Estimates of Violence against Women in Alaska: Results from the Alaska Victimization Survey"
"Intimate Partner Violence against Alaska Native and Non-Native Women: Estimates from the Alaska Victimization Survey"
"Reporting of Sexual Assault Victimizations to Police: Results from Two Alaska Cities"
 Dr. André Rosay and Dr. Brad Myrstol

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.

Dr. Rivera participates in UAA Alcohol Awareness event

UPD Lt. Scott Chafin (left) and Dr. Rivera at the Justice Center display.

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice faculty, participated in the UAA Alcohol Awareness Week event held Wednesday, October 26, at the Student Cafeteria.  The "Wii Happy Hour" included pizza, "mocktails," a chance to wear "drunk goggles" to test your equilibrium, and displays by the Justice Center, the University Police Department Drug Paraphernelia, Student Health and Counseling, and others.

The Justice Center display highlighted recent research on college-age drinking and included data from the 2010 survey of UAA students. This event was part of National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week and was coordinated by the UAA Dean of Students Office.

(l to r) Dr. Rivera and Justice majors Mary Dombroski and Kristen Crain-Robinson enjoy pizza while looking at research data.

Dr. Chamard publishes 2009 Anchorage Community Survey results for Anchorage Police Department

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, has recently published, "Anchorage Community Survey 2009: Anchorage Police-related Results," as part of the Community Indicators Project at the UAA Justice Center.

The Anchorage Community Survey (ACS) asked residents to respond to questions about the quality of life in their Anchorage neighborhood, their satisfaction with municipal services, and their opinion of the criminal justice system, including police.  This report presents the findings of the 23 questions that focused on the Anchorage Police Department (APD).  Overall, respondents were satisfied with APD, with close to two-thirds (66%) of those who answered these questions reporting they were satisfied (43%) or very satisfied (23%).

The report also includes results grouped by community council area of the survey respondents.The full report of the 2009 Anchorage Community Survey is forthcoming.

Women in Law Enforcement Recruitment Fair a great success

IRS Special Agent Cathleen Hollowell.

The October 5, 2011 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 FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Anchorage International Airport Police, Alaska Air National Guard Security Forces, Seward Police Department, U.S. Air Force Reserve, Anchorage Police Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement, Alaska State Troopers, IRS Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (AFT), Alaska Department of Corrections, and the Women Police of Alaska..

K-9s "Elvis" and "Batman," explosives detection dogs from the Anchorage International Airport Police attended as representatives of their law enforcement agency, as well K-9 "Rex" from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Refuge Law Enforcement who is trained to detect different types of game that have been taken illegally.  Photos of the K-9s are in the slideshow below.

The event was presented with the support of the Alaska State Troopers, the Alaska Association of Chiefs of Police, and the UAA Justice Center. Dr. Brad Myrstol was the faculty liaison for this program.

UAA Chancellor Tom Case (left) with U.S. Deputy Marshals Rochelle Liedike
and Ryan Thompson of the U.S. Marshals Service.

See a slideshow of this year's Women in Law Enforcement Recruitment Fair below.

"Compass" piece appears in Anchorage Daily News about violence against women and Alaska Victimization Survey

"Act to end violence against Alaska women," an opinion piece, appeared in the Anchorage Daily News Compass section on Sunday, November 6, 2011.  This essay was written by Lauree Morton, Executive Director, Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, and Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, and principal investigator for the Alaska Victimization Survey.

The piece discusses the high rates of violence against women in Alaska and the Alaska Victimization Survey, and describes ways communities and individuals can make a difference. Details on the survey are available at the Justice Center website (http://justice.uaa.alaska.edu/avs/index.html).

Prof. Wolfe presents crime scene and evidence collection for statewide law enforcement agencies

(l to r) Enhancing snow impressions to see detail.

Prof. Jim Wolfe, Justice Center adjunct faculty, lectured at several law enforcement training events during October and November. During the week of October 24, he presented "Crime Scene and Evidence Collection" at the UAF CTC Law Enforcement Academy in Fairbanks.

The following week he was in Bethel for the Advanced VPO (Village Police Officer) Training where he team taught "Crime Scene and Evidence Collection" with Jessica Hogan of the Alaska Crime Laboratory. Prof. Wolfe will be in Dillingham the week of November 7 presenting "Evidence Collection Refresher" for the Dillingham Police Department.

Prof. Wolfe (l) discusses comparison of tracks.

Prof. Wolfe (l front) demonstrates making snow impressions.

Prof. Wolfe is a former forensic scientist with the Alaska Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory, and is currently a forensic consultant and trainer.

Photos are from the Fairbanks training.

Prof. Periman speaks to Alaska Association of Paralegals

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., has been invited to speak to the Alaska Association of Paralegals (AAP) about "Current Issues Facing Today's Paralegals" on Thursday, November 10.

Prof. Periman is a Justice faculty member and the coordinator of the Paralegal Studies Certificate Program at the Justice Center.

Overflow crowd listens to Steven Barnes tell of being wrongly imprisoned for 20 years

Steven Barnes tell his story.

Over 150 students and members of the public listened to Steven Barnes, wrongly imprisoned for murder and rape for 20 years, tell his moving and unforgettable story on November 2 on campus at Rasmuson Hall 117.  An overflow crowd watched him via livestreaming in RH 110.

Steven was ultimately exonerated through DNA testing obtained by the Innocence Project.  He shared with the audience his experiences in prison and his reintegration into a normal life. Since his release in 2008, Steven has been working with troubled teens and teaches them construction skills. 

The event was cosponsored by the Alaska Innocence Project and the UAA Justice Center.

Click here for the web version of his presentation which was produced by the UAA Journalism and Public Communications Department. 

Media coverage of this event:
"Falsely imprisoned for twenty years, Steve Barnes speaks at UAA" by Grace Hawkins (The Northern Light - UAA Student Newspaper - online November 1, 2011)

"Innocent Man Released After 20 Years In Jail Shares His Story with Alaskans" by Christine Kim, KTUU Channel 2 News, November 2, 2011

 KTUU Channel 2 video (3:33)

Dr. Rivera awarded contract by ABC Board to analyze strategies to reduce sale of alcohol and tobacco to minors

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice faculty, has been awarded a contract by the Alaska Alcoholic Beverage Control Board to conduct a policy analysis of strategies designed to reduce the sale of tobacco and alcohol to underage persons and to analyze data on compliance with laws prohibiting such sales. The policy analysis will include a review of other research and studies on this topic and an exploration of the kinds of influences (social climate, enforcement, sanctions) that affect compliance/violation of laws prohibiting tobacco and alcohol sales to underage persons. This report will also assess the impact of the municipal code requiring identifications checks for all alcohol purchases.

Steven Barnes wrongfully imprisoned for 20 years speaks at Justice Center event November 2

Steven Barnes tells his story.

Hear Steven Barnes, wrongfully imprisoned for murder for 20 years, tell his story. The Alaska Innocence Project and the UAA Justice Center cosponsor this presentation by exoneree Steven Barnes on Wednesday, November 2, 2011, 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. in UAA Rasmuson Hall, Room 117.

Mr. Barnes was convicted of rape and murder based on questionable eyewitness identification and evidence in 1989 and was finally exonerated in 2009 through DNA testing obtained by the Innocence Project.  Come hear his unforgettable story.

This event is free and open to all UAA students, faculty, staff, and the public.  Parking is free. For more information, call the Justice Center at 786-1810.

Justice Center paralegal students volunteer at AFN legal clinic

Pictured l to r: Paralegal student volunteers Daniel Reinhard, Josephine Grande, Sarah Horton, Esther Schermerhorn, Kayleen Preston, Ness Rook, Babette Brewer, Jennifer Seeley, and Lisa Arey.

Eleven paralegal students from the Justice Center Paralegal Studies Certificate program volunteered to assist at the first Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) Conference Legal Clinic held Thursday and Friday, October 20 and 21 at the Dena'ina Center.  Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., is the coordinator of the Paralegal Studies Certificate program.

Clients had free consultations with volunteer lawyers from the Alaska Bar Association. The paralegal student volunteers welcomed clients, notified the volunteer lawyers when clients had arrived, and provided clerical support for the printing of final documents. 81 clients from 24 Alaskan communities were served.

The event was sponsored by AFN, Alaska Legal Services Corporation (ALSC), Alaska Native Justice Center, and the Alaska Bar Association.

Pictured l to r:  Sarah Horton, Paralegal student volunteer; Prof. Deb Periman, UAA Justice Center; Krista Scully, Alaska Bar Association Pro Bono Director; Louisa Good and Jennifer Seeley, Paralegal student volunteers; JoAnne Baker, Alaska Bar Association Sections/Fee Arbitration Coordinator, go over the list of volunteer lawyers.

 Pictured l to r: Erick Cordero, ALSC Director of Volunteer Services and Community Support; Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., UAA Justice Center; Nikole Nelson, ALSC Executive Director; Krista Scully, Alaska Bar Association Pro Bono Director; Melanie Osborne, Alaska Bar Association Alaska Native Law Section Co-Chair; Jon Minton, Alaska Bar Association staff member.

L to r: Paralegal student volunteers Iman Wilson and Louise Good.