Dr. Magen and Prof. Periman wrap up presentations to faculty intensives about the scholarship of teaching and learning

Standing l to r: Dr. Magen and Prof. Periman discuss implementing
the scholarship of learning with the Sustainability Fellows.

Dr. Randy Magen, Social Work faculty, and Prof. Deb Periman J.D., Justice faculty, recently wrapped up presentations on "The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning" to the following UAA faculty intensives for 2012:

• Addressing Health Disparities
• Technology - click here for the blog post re this event
• Sustainability
• Community Engagement 

Each intensive was scheduled for two to five days in May.  As part of each of these workshops, Dr. Magen and Prof. Periman introduced the concept of  "The Scholarship of  Teaching and Learning."  The Scholarship of Teaching and Learing (SoTL) is a component of the Making Learning Visible Project sponsored by the UAA Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence (CAFE).  Dr. Magen and Prof. Periman's sessions focused on strategies for connecting intentional course design and planning to the demonstration of improved student learning, approaches to reflecting on teaching to fully develop the craft of teaching, and suggestions for collaborating and sharing with peers and colleagues about teaching as a way to strengthen and improve student learning. 

The Addressing Health Disparities Fellows intensive was sponsored by the Center for Addressing Health Disparities through Research and Education.The goals include informing students and faculty about health disparities issues in Alaska, assisting health students to develop skills in assessing and using evidence to improve their practice, and mentoring students and faculty interested in health disparities research projects and careers. Fellows explored strategies to integrate content on health disparities into a course next academic year, and will evaluate how this new content impacted student learning, and present highlights at a public event in Spring 2013.  The group of six faculty met May 7 - May 11. Dr. Magen and Prof. Periman made an initial presentation on May 7 introducing the topic, and returned on May 11 to give feedback to the Fellows on the proposals they had developed through the week.  The Health Disparities Fellows intensive was coordinated by Dr. Randy Magen.

Dr. Magen (far right) and Prof. Periman (2nd from right) discuss SoTL -
the scholarship of teaching and learning - with the Community Engagement Fellows.
Justice faculty member, Dr. Sharon Chamard (2nd from left), was a participant in the intensive.

The Sustainability Across the Curriculum Fellows workshop was a pioneer project at UAA and met May 23 and 25.  The workshop had nine faculty participants who were invited to enhance their teaching and engagement with environmental issues and to explore how to meaningfully integrate a broad definition of sustainability into their classrooms and across campus.  Each participant will draft/modify a syllabus, teach a new/enhanced course, and make a presentation at a campus workshop. Dr. Elizabeth Snyder, Health Sciences faculty, was co-coordinator of this workshop along with Paula Williams, Director of  UAA Office of Sustainability, and Dr. Steve Wang, Engineering and Science Management faculty. Dr.Magen and Prof. Periman presented to the Fellows on May 23.

The Community Engagement Fellows intensive was designed and presented by Dr. Judith Owens-Manley, Center for Community Engagement and Learning (CCEL) Director and Assistant Dean of the University Honors College, and Dr. Sherril Gelmon, Portland State University. Dr. Gelmon holds a Ph.D. in public health; one of her major research areas is in education policy and the establishment of models of faculty roles and recognition for community engaged scholarship. The group of 15 selected faculty members met May 21-25. Each Fellow will incorporate community-based research or service-based learning into a course in the next year and make a presentation to colleagues at the end of spring semester. Dr. Magen and Prof. Periman spoke to the Fellows on May 25.

Community Engagement Fellows listen to comments. Dr. Sherill Gelmon, (3rd from left),
was the co-leader of the intensive with Dr. Owens-Manley.

Dr. Owens-Manley talks to the
Community Engagement Fellows.

Prof. Brandeis and Dr. Lepage to present at 2012 International Conference on Law and Society

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., and Dr. Cory R. Lepage will present at the 2012  International Conference on Law and Society in June. The conference includes the joint annual meetings of the Law and Society Association and the Research Committee on Sociology of Law (International Sociological Association), and is co-sponsored by the Canadian Law and Society Association (CLSA), the Japanese Association of Sociology of Law (JASL), and the Socio-Legal Studies Association (SLSA), UK.

Prof. Brandeis is part of a panel on "Perspectives on Privacy, Reputation and Constitutional Protection." He will present his paper, "The Continuing Vitality of Ravin v. State: Alaskans Still Have a Constitutional Right to Possess Marijuana in the Privacy of Their Homes" which discusses Alaska's unique personal-use marijuana laws that permit limited private marijuana use and possession.The purpose of the article is to clarify the current status of Alaska law governing personal use and possession of marijuana and to identify the future precedential value of the Ravin decision. The article chronicles the history and development of the Ravin Doctrine by summarizing significant judicial opinions and key pieces of legislation, discusses Alaska law governing personal use and possession of marijuana in light of the internal conflict between state court decisions and state statutes, and addresses the tension between state and federal marijuana laws.

Prof. Brandeis teaches courses on American government, constitutional law and civil liberties, and is a frequent speaker on constitutional law and other legal issues. Prof. Brandeis also maintains a private law practice through which, subsequent to the date of this conference, he provided legal representation in administrative agency proceedings for the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Alaska. 

Dr. Lepage will participate as a panel member for "Role, Work, Reputation, and Perception of Judges."  His paper, "Legislative Changes to Justices of the Peace and Their Courts: A Comparative Analysis," examines the significant role that justices of the peace and their courts play in court administration and adjudication both in the U.S. and Canada.  The focus is on these quasi-judicial officers, their qualifications,  the selection process, identified concerns and problems, and recent attempts at legislative reform. This article reviews the justices' perception of these legislative changes and how these changes have impacted their courts, and looks at efforts to craft a model of reform for justice of the peace courts.

Dr. Lepage is also a discussant on the panel, "Trial Courts in Action," which includes papers on trial courts or trials in Brazil, Russia, Canada, and the U.S., and covers time and costs in Brazilian federal courts, comparison of witness co-operation agreements in the U.S. and the Netherlands, incarceration pursuant to support debt in Canada, and Russian arbitration courts.

The Law and Society Association, founded in 1964, is a group of scholars from many fields and countries, interested in the place of law in social, political, economic and cultural life. Members bring training in law, sociology, political science, psychology, anthropology, economics, and history as well as in other related areas to the study of sociolegal phenomena.

Dr. Rivera presents at webinar for Family Connections Project grantees on best practices for evaluating and disseminating results

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice faculty, co-presented at a webinar in April for grantees for the Family Connections Project and the Regional Partnership Grant of Jackson County, Oregon. Over 60 grantee program staff members and evaluators attended "Evaluating Communication Strategies," a webinar designed to present best practices for evaluating  and disseminating results during the life of a project. Dr. Rivera discussed, "Using Evaluation for Long-Term Sustainability." The webinar was coordinated by the James Bell Associates National Evaluation Team.

Dr. Rivera is heading up the ongoing evaluation of the Family Connections Program in Jackson County, Oregon. The evaluation is a 3-year study. The mission of the Family Connection Grant Program is to help children who are in, or at risk of entering, foster care to reconnect with family members.

The evaluation by Dr. Rivera includes comparing child welfare outcomes for a control group of families whose cases have been handled in the standard way, rather than by diversion to this type of family treatment. This program is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children & Families.

Justice Center closed in observance of Memorial Day, May 28

Fort Richardson National Cemetery

The UAA campus and the Justice Center will be closed on Monday, May 28, in observance of Memorial Day. We will re-open on Tuesday, May 29 at 8:00 a.m.

Dr. Magen and Prof. Periman present to technology fellows on scholarship of teaching and learning

Standing l to r: Lee Henrikson, Instructional Designer; Dr. Randy Magen; and Prof. Deb Periman
introduce the the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) to the Tech Fellows.

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D, Justice faculty, and Dr. Randy Magen, School of Social Work, co-presented to the 2012 Technology Fellows Program for UAA faculty on May 18.  Their presentation on "The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning" is part of the Making Learning Visible Project sponsored by the UAA Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence (CAFE).  They presented strategies for connecting intentional course design and planning to the demonstration of improved student learning, approaches to reflecting on teaching to fully develop the craft of teaching, and suggestions for collaborating and sharing with peers and colleagues about teaching as a way to strengthen and improve student learning.

Tech Fellows discussing topic in small groups.

Faculty members applied to be a Tech Fellow and 14 were selected for the week-long intensive held May 14 - 18. Using information from the intensive, participants are to improve and offer one course in the coming academic year that incorporates technology. The focus is to increase collaboration among students and with professors that leads to enhanced learning.  Tech Fellows will also participate in online discussions during the academic year, and report progress and outcomes to colleagues in spring 2013.  Lee Henrikson and Sarah Frick, instructional designers with the Faculty Technology Center, designed and taught the intensive.

2012 Justice Center Bike to Work team

Bike team members share a light-hearted moment in the sun:
l to r: Dr. Troy Payne, Barbara Armstrong, Amy Perkins, Tuyet Tran.

Anchorage's 8th Annual Bike to Work Day was held on Friday, May 18. This year's Justice Center Bike to Work Team pedaled in the sunshine to the UAA campus, but hit headwinds and crosswinds on the way home. Riders for 2012 included Dr. Troy Payne, Amy Perkins, Tuyet Tran, and Barbara Armstrong. The Justice team numbered 8 people, but injuries and bike repairs sidelined the other riders. Prof. Deb Periman, Justice faculty member,was the Team Captain. Team members also enjoyed the barbecue at noon provided by the UAA Office of Sustainability.

Dr. Myrstol interviewed by Associated Press for Anchorage Daily News article about local homicides

Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice faculty, was interviewed by the Associated Press (AP) for an article about recent Anchorage homicides, "Anchorage slayings worry some residents." This article by Rachel D'Oro appeared in the May 14, 2012  Anchorage Daily News.

The article focused on two recent high-profile murders in Anchorage, the deaths of Samantha Koenig and Senior Airman Clinton Reeves, and the concern among some residents about their safety.  Dr. Myrstol noted that every homicide is tragic, and how the media report such an event can create a sense of vulnerability. He commented that although there has been wide media coverage of these murders, the homicide rate in Anchorage and statewide, has remained fairly stable.

Prof. Periman announces upcoming launch of online Alaska Youth Law Guide at Alaska Bar Convention Law Day lunch May 2

L to r: Barbara Hood, Alaska Court System
Communications Counsel and Prof. Deb Periman
at the 2012 Law Day lunch.
Not pictured: Adjunct Professor Virginia Rusch.

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Justice faculty, spoke at the Law Day Lunch program that was part of the 2012 Alaska Bar Association Annual Convention.  She and Justice Center adjunct Professor Virginia Rusch delivered a presentation on the upcoming launch of the online Alaska Youth Law Guide. The guide is  being developed by the Alaska Bar Association Law Related Education (LRE) Committee  and other volunteers from the legal and education community.

Prof. Periman is chair of the drafting sub-committee for this web-based guide to Alaska law for teens and young adults.  The LRE Committee-sponsored project is modeled on youth law guides developed by the California and Montana State Bars.  Over 25 Alaska Bar members volunteered to write brief summaries of Alaska law for the publication. The LRE Committee is made up of Alaska Bar members and Alaska educators.

There will be a gradual rollout on the web starting in the summer 2012 as chapters become available.  There are plans for a printed hard copy once the guide is complete.

Prof. Brandeis speaks to judges about teaching in schools and the community as part of judicial outreach

Prof. Brandeis gives his top ten tips for teaching students.  At left: Judge Joel Bolger and Pam Orme.

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Justice faculty, was a panelist at the Alaska Judicial Conference in Anchorage on May 4 for the topic "Fostering Public Education: Teaching in Schools & Community Settings." Other members of the panel were conference chair Judge Joel Bolger, Alaska Court of Appeals, and Pam Orme, Anchorage School District Social Studies Curriculum Director.  The audience included Alaska Supreme Court justices, Court of Appeals judges, district and superior court judges from around the state, and other court system personnel.

The panel was part of a series of conference presentations on "Explaining and Defending the Role of the Courts: Judicial Outreach in Your Community."  The Alaska Court System has an active program of reaching out to and involving community members state-wide through a variety of programs and events.

Justice Center closed Thursday, May 10, for UAA Development Day training and learning events

The Justice Center will be closed on Thursday, May 10, for UAA Development. Day.

The office will re-open at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, May 11. 

The day is intended to celebrate staff and their accomplishments at UAA and lay the foundation to prepare employees for next year’s strategic priorities. It is also a forum to offer professional and personal advancement and learning opportunities.

Forum articles included in digest of statistical analysis center publications

Abstracts of five Alaska Justice Forum articles from the Summer/Fall 2011 issue have been included in the recently released online SAC Publication Digest, Vol. XV, July - December 2011 issued by the Justice Research and Statistics Association (JRSA).

The Forum articles are:

• "Immigrants in Alaska - Authorized and Unauthorized" by Antonia Moras
• "Enforcement of Immigration Laws" by Antonia Moras
• "Pace: A Pilot Project for Probation Violators in Anchorage"
• "Alaska's Five-Year Prisoner Reentry Strategic Plan, 2011-2012"
• "A Brief Look at VPSOs and Violence Against Women Cases" by André Rosay, Marny Rivera, and Barbara Armstrong

JRSA is a national nonprofit group of state Statistical Analysis Center(SAC) directors, and also includes other researchers and practitioners in government, academia, and criminal justice organizations. The Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center is housed within the UAA Justice Center.

Justice Center research cited by Senator French in Anchorage Daily News Compass article

Alaska State Senator Hollis French (D-Anchorage), cited UAA Justice Center research in his May 8, 2012 Anchorage Daily News Compass piece, "Lawmakers, governor team up in crime fight."

He noted, "Research by the acclaimed UAA Justice Center shows that when villages have a VPSO [Village Public Safety Officer], sexual assault cases are more than three times more likely to be accepted for prosecution and levels of physical injury to victims are significantly reduced."

These study results are from the researcher-practitioner partnership between the Justice Center and the Alaska State Troopers. This partnership was funded by the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA) and the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).

Winter/Spring issue of the Alaska Justice Forum

The Winter/Spring 2012 issue of the Alaska Justice Forum features articles on self-protective behaviors in Anchorage, the 2012 Alaska Dashboard of indicators of issues that impact domestic violence and sexual assault, definitions and measures of recidivism,  recidivism among misdemeanor and felony offenders in Alaska, and predicting recidivism among juvenile offenders.

Articles:

"Self-Protective Behaviors in Anchorage" by Sharon Chamard

Using weighted data from the 2009 Anchorage Community Survey, this article examines self-protective behaviors that people engage in to feel safe in their homes, and the relationship between these behaviors and perceptions of safety, social engagement, and collective efficacy. Research from this type of study can assist law enforcement, policymakers, and planners in understanding how and why people engage in certain behaviors, and can also help in developing strategies and determining allocation of resources for crime prevention in neighborhoods.

"2012 Alaska Dashboard: Key Indicators Impacting Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault" by André B. Rosay

The 2012 Alaska Dashboard provides at-a-glance information on 32 key population indicators which provide a broad overview of key issues that impact domestic violence and sexual assault in Alaska. Developed by the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Data Group convened by Governor Sean Parnell, the indicators included in the 2012 Dashboard establish a baseline for the state of Alaska.

"Notes on Recidivism" by Barbara Armstrong

This article is a brief overview of the variance in definitions of and measures of recidivism — criminal reoffending — and presents information from four major national research organizations on how recidivism is determined and measured. The nature of the offense and its relationship to recidivism, underreporting of certain crimes to authorities, juvenile recidivism rates, and national recidivism figures are also discussed.

"Offender Recidivism Figures"

This article summarizes findings from a 2011 Alaska Judicial Council report which examined recidivism among both felony and misdemeanor offenders in Alaska who were released in 2008 and 2009 with a focus on the offenders released in 2008. Within two years of release, 30 percent of felons and 40 percent of misdemeanants released in 2008 were convicted of a new offense.

"Predicting Recidivism for Alaska Youth: An Evaluation of the YLS/CMI Survey"

This article presents findings from a 2011 evaluation of the Youth Level of Services/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI) assessment instrument and its success in predicting recidivism for youth under the jurisdiction of the Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice. The study was conducted by the Alaska Judicial Council and the Institute of Social and Economic Research.

Podcasts available online for National Criminal Justice Month presentations

Below are links to the podcasts for presentations made during National Criminal Justice Month in March 2012 - click on the title.

• March 1 - David Kaczynski, brother of the so-called "Unabomber" -  My Personal Story - the story of his family, and the arrest, conviction, and imprisonment for life of his brother, Ted

• March 26 - Col. Keith Mallard and Chief Mark Mew - State and Local Law Enforcement in Alaska - the heads of the Alaska State Troopers and Anchorage Police Department discuss job requirements, cooperation between agencies, and what policing is like in Alaska

• March 29 - Federal law enforcement representatives - Federal Law Enforcement in Alaska -FBI Special Agent Eric Gonzalez, Deputy U.S.Marshal Jimmy Johnson, and Drug Enforcement Administration Group Supervisor Todd Jones outline federal law enforcement career options, inter-agency cooperation, and the role of federal policing in Alaska

National Criminal Justice Month is sponsored by the Justice Center and the Justice Club. 

Watch for the March 2013 National Criminal Justice Month lecture series.

Congrats from our faculty to Justice and Paralegal Studies Grads!

L to r: Dr. Allan Barnes; Prof. Deb Periman, J.D.; Dr. Sharon Chamard; Dr. Brad Myrstol.

Congratulations to our 2012 Justice and Paralegal Studies graduates! 

Best wishes for the future!

Master of Public Administration
with Criminal Justice Emphasis
Ashley E. Carter
Abbey R. Jackson

Bachelor of Arts
Justice
Coleman J. Alguire
Amani F. Azzam
Joshua J. Baker
Patrick R. Blood
Marshall J. Brothers
Sy P. Bulaong Ramirez
Christopher L. Carter
Erika L. Chernikoff
Giancarlo R. Chuquichanca
Dianne S. Collins
Joseph W. Cosgriff
David A. Crozier*
Connie R. Dougherty
Tamara M. Douglas
Marti M. Erickson
Amber N. Evans
Jennifer E. Gilhuly
Maria K. Greenlee
Melissa A. Hill
Shawndean Hutchison
Jasen K. Johansen
Ezekiel J. Kaufman**
Alecia K. Lindley
Heather MacAlpine*
Jonathan P. Martin*
Leonee D. May
Kensey L. McIntosh
Suzanna Miller
Benjamin D. Ortez
John B. Periman
Windy G. Perkins
Samuel R. Peters
Rae A. Posey
Spencer D. Raidmae
Joshua A. Ray
Kelly K. Sandlin*
Hannah L. Scott
Summer A. Slack
Andrew J. Smith
Sharisse M. Stroud
Arthur R. Thorpe
Cornelius C. Tolbert
Doanh T. Tran
Casey M. Whetham
John C. Whipple
Summer B. Yancey
Tebany Yune

Paralegal Studies
Linda L. Adams
Antonio D. Beckwith
Jeanene Walker

* Cum Laude
** Magna Cum Laude

If your name has been omitted, misplaced, or misspelled, please accept our apologies and contact us so that we may correct our records. UAA Office of the Registrar: degrees@uaa.alaska.edu 

Dr. Chamard's class makes crime prevention presentations

Dr. Chamard's students in JUST 332-Environmental Crime Prevention made presentations about three Anchorage "hot spots" on May 2 to fellow students and members of the Anchorage Police Department (APD) Community Action Policing (CAP) Team.  Areas of frequent police calls for service are called "hot spots." This course examines how crime can be prevented through environmental design, use of defensible space, and problem oriented policing. Such things as lighting and changes in the layout of physical space can reduce crime by creating areas that invite more public interaction and sending signals that the area is not abandoned or unobserved.

Student teams presented issues and proposed solutions to problems of crime and social disorder associated with three different "hot spots" in Anchorage: a grocery store, a bar in Spenard, and a cluster of bars downtown. Each team spent hours making first-hand physical and social observations of the location, interviewing stakeholders, and researching crime data on the area. Presentations included an outline of the problem, findings, analysis, and proposed solution(s).

See the slideshow below of the presenters.

Prof. Wolfe presents at Wildlife Field Forensics Symposium in Montana in May

Prof. Jim Wolfe, Justice Center adjunct faculty, will be presenting at the 2012 Wildlife Field Forensics Symposium in Montana in May. He will be discussing field necropsy techniques (autopsies of animals) and demonstrating how to photograph and cast shoe and tire impression evidence.

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

The symposium is sponsored by the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association (NAWEOA). NAWEOA is an 8,000 member organization of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement officers from across North America. The association began at a meeting of 16 Wildlife Officers from the U.S. and Canada in Great Falls, Montana in 1980.

Dr. Rosay quoted in Alaska Dispatch article on Alaska's most dangerous cities for women

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, is quoted in an April 26, 2012 Alaska Dispatch article by Alex DeMarban, "Anchorage, Fairbanks among 'most dangerous cities for women'."  The article builds on the April 26 online Forbes article listing the top 10 most dangerous U.S. cities for women based on sexual assault rate. It includes information from interviews with Dr. Rosay, the Anchorage Police Department, and the executive director of Standing Together Against Rape (STAR).

In the article, Dr. Rosay refers to the statewide Alaska Victimization Survey of 2010 which showed that "37 percent of adult women in Alaska had experienced sexual violence in their lifetime," and notes "the problem is far worse than law-enforcement statistics show."

Dr. Rosay publishes article in Journal of Juvenile Justice

Dr. André B. Rosay, Justice Center Director, is a co-author of the article, “Applying a Developmental Lens to Juvenile Reentry and Reintegration,” recently published online in the Spring 2012 Journal of Juvenile Justice, 1(2), 95-107.

Reentry is a crucial, but underdeveloped component of the juvenile justice system, and the success of reentry is often judged exclusively in terms of recidivism and/or reincarceration. This paper makes the case that the use of a developmental lens can improve the effectiveness of juvenile reentry through: (1) minor amendments to the intensive Aftercare Program model currently in use, (2) systematic improvements in implementation, and (3) more comprehensive evaluation strategies.

The Journal of Juvenile Justice is a semi-annual, peer-reviewed journal sponsored by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).