David Shipler speaks to Justice and Legal Studies students about assistance of counsel and the judicial system

David K. Shipler, author of The Working Poor: Invisible in America, one of the UAA/APU Books of the Year for 2011-2013, made two special presentations to Justice and Legal Studies students on September 25 and September 26 during his recent visit to Anchorage as part of the Books of the Year program.

Mr. Shipler discusses disparities in assistance of counsel.

On September 25, Mr. Shipler addressed Justice Center students on the topic of  “The Assistance of Counsel in the U.S.: Your Rights at Risk.”  The presentation was open to all students and was held  in Prof. Jason Brandeis' Introduction to Law class.   Mr. Shipler described the checkerboard situation that exists in the U.S. regarding the quality of legal representation that people receive. If you are poor, your geographic location in this country, as well as whether your case is in federal or state court, are predominant factors determining the level of legal representation you will get. Mr. Shipler gave specific examples of cases and the outcomes for the defendants.

L to r: Prof. Deb Periman thanks Mr. Shipler for sharing his insights with the students.

The next day, Mr. Shipler engaged in a question and answer session with students in Prof. Deb Periman's  Legal Ethics class and Dr. Ron Everett's Justice Theory and Policy Analysis class about the jury system, prosecutorial and judicial discretion, sentencing guidelines, and sentencing disparities.

Mr. Shipler listens as a student asks about the role of juries.

L to r: Prof. Deb Periman, Justice faculty; David Shipler;
and Dr. Ron Everett, Justice faculty.

 
Mr. Shipler has worked as a journalist for "The New York Times," and has written for "The New Yorker," "The Washington Post," and the "Los Angeles Times."  He won a Pulitzer Prize for his book, Arab and Jew: Wounded Spirits in a Promised Land, and has taught at Princeton University, American University in Washington, D.C., and at Dartmouth College.

Dr. Payne joins panel discussion for special bookstore event on force and enforcement

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, will be a panelist for the Campus Bookstore event, "Force and Enforcement: A Panel Discussion." Given the recurrence of lethal confrontations at schools, in Anchorage, and nationwide, this event provides an ideal opportunity for people to come together to learn about principles guiding law enforcement and security. 

Day: Wednesday, October 2,
Time: 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Location: UAA Campus Bookstore, Upper Level
Parking: Free in south lot across from the bookstore

Panelists include Dr. Kim Patterson, Director, UAA Student Support Services, and the author of Swift Justice: Leveling the Playing Field for America’s Re-entry Citizens;  Dr. Troy Payne, UAA Justice Center faculty, whose research includes community problem-solving; and reporter Casey Grove, Anchorage Daily News.

For more information, check the UAA Campus Bookstore website or contact Rachel Epstein at  anre@uaa.alaska.edu or (907) 786-4782.

Justice Center research cited in First Alaskans magazine profile of Public Safety Commissioner Joe Masters

Data from the Alaska Victimization Survey conducted by the Justice Center is cited in an article in First Alaskans magazine, "Alaska's Top Cop," about Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner Joe Masters. The magazine is a publication of the First Alaskans Institute.

The June/July 2012 issue features a profile of Commissioner Masters and his efforts to fight violence against women and to increase the number of Village Public Safety Officers (VPSOs) in Alaska villages.  Commissioner Masters was an early advocate of the need for a victimization survey in Alaska. Update: The article was republished online by the Alaska Dispatch on 16 Oct 2012.

The Alaska Victimization Survey is an ongoing research project of the Justice Center.  Results are available for the 2010 statewide estimates, and 2011 estimates from Bristol Bay, the City of Fairbanks, the Fairbanks North Star Borough, the City and Borough of Juneau, and the Municipality of Anchorage.

Pizza party for students, alums, and faculty a great success

The 2nd annual pizza party for Justice and Paralegal students, faculty, and alums was a great success!  Everyone enjoyed the Moose's Tooth pizza and the chance to informally chat with each other.

Prof. John Havelock, first Director of the Justice Center and former Alaska Attorney General, and Bridgette Ellis, Chair of the Justice Alumni Group also attended.  See photos and slideshow below.

Hope to see you at next year's event!

Lining up for the pizza!

L to r: Justice faculty Prof. Ryan Fortson, Justice Center Acting Director Allan Barnes,
first Director of the Justice Center John Havelock, Justice Alumni Group Chair Bridgette Ellis,
Justice faculty Dr. Troy Payne.

Dr. Rivera presents at Alaska annual behavioral health prevention grantee meeting Sep 28

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice faculty, and Dr. Gabe Garcia, Department of Health Sciences, are co-presenting at an Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Behavioral Health Annual Behavioral Health Prevention Grantee Meeting on September 28. This meeting is a 3-day opportunity for information gathering, knowledge transfer, skill development, networking and cross-grantee communication for Division of Behavioral Health grantees.

Dr. Rivera and Dr. Garcia will present a hands-on workshop, "Getting to Know your Community: Measurement Methods Made Easy."  They will be teaching grantees quantitative and qualitative research skills to assist in identifying problems in their communities, ways to demonstrate if there has been improvement in the problems by addressing factors related to those problem, and  how to make sense of the information collected about their communities in order to share what they learn with others.  Strategies and tools will include ways to quickly and effectively gather information from large groups of people using surveys, how to measure change or improvement by using pre-tests before and post-tests after providing information or implementing strategies, and how to efficiently obtain in-depth information by interviewing focus groups or key informants with unique perspectives or access to information.

Wanted: Women in law enforcement - 4th annual recruitment fair October 24 on campus

 Don't miss this event!

Date:  Wednesday, October 24
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Where:  UAA Student Union, Upper Level  next to the Wells Fargo Sports Complex
Parking: FREE!
Everyone is welcome to attend.

Although Alaska's population is 48% female, only about 10% of sworn law enforcement officers are women.

Law enforcement agencies are actively recruiting for female officers. Local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies statewide will be participating.

Sponsored by:

Women Police of Alaska 

with the support of 

Alaska State Troopers

Alaska Association of Chiefs of Police
UAA Justice Center.

Dr. Brad Myrstol is the faculty coordinator. For more information, call the Justice Center at 786-1810.

Jutice Center closed Friday morning, Sep 21, for UAA Faculty/Staff Convocation

 

The Justice Center will be closed Friday morning, September 21, for the UAA Faculty/Staff Convocation and the presentation of the Chancellor's Awards for Excellence. The office will reopen at 12 noon today.

Prof. Fortson receives the Ben Walters Distinguished Service Award from the Anchorage Bar Association

L to r: Anchorage Bar President Elizabeth Apostola and
Prof. Ryan Fortson.
Photo by Jolene Hotho, Anchorage Bar Association

Prof. Ryan Fortson, Justice faculty, was presented the Ben Walters Distinguished Service Award from  the Anchorage Bar Association by Anchorage Bar president Elizabeth Apostola in May. The award is given to an attorney in recognition of outstanding contributions to the Anchorage legal community.

Prof. Fortson served on the board of the Anchorage Bar Association including a term as president, was  Chair of the Alaska High School Mock Trial Competition from 2003-2010, and is a member of the Alaska Bar Association Law-Related Education (LRE) Committee which is responsible for presenting programs and producing publications to aid the public in understanding the law and the legal system.

Until his appointment to the UAA Justice faculty, Prof. Fortson was a partner of the Northern Justice Project, the only private civil rights law firm in Alaska. He also worked for Alaska Legal Services Corporation (ALSC) as a staff attorney dealing primarily with family law, landlord/tenant relations, and public benefits cases. Prior to his ALSC work, Prof. Fortson was a senior associate with the law firm of Dorsey & Whitney LLP. His legal experience there included regulation of public utilities.

Prof. Fortson received a J.D. from Stanford Law School, and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities.

Profs. Periman and Knudsen present on advanced legal research at National Federation of Paralegal Associations conference

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., and Prof. Kristin Knudsen, J.D., Justice faculty, are co-presenting at the 2012 National Federation of Paralegal Associations conference in Anchorage on Thursday, September 27. 

They will be discussing advanced legal research techniques and strategies, including tips for improving accuracy and efficiency. Participants will explore new features of subscription databases, government websites, and University portals for accessing legal information. The unique aspects of researching in Alaska will also be discussed.

The National Federation of Paralegal Associations, founded in 1974, is the first national paralegal association to be established in the U.S.

Pizza party for justice & paralegal students, alums, faculty on September 19!

Pizza Party for Justice & Paralegal Students, Alums, Faculty!
Wednesday, September 19, 2011
4:00 -5:30 p.m.

Justice Center, Consortium Library
2nd floor, LIB 213

Drop in for pizza and beverages and meet your advisors, professors, 

fellow students, and alums!  Hope to see you on Wednesday!

Justice students at past event enjoy the food!

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice Program
Undergraduate Coordinator enjoys a pizza slice
at 2011 event.

Dr. Myrstol appointed director of Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center

Dr. Brad Mystol, AJ-SAC Director.

Dr. Brad Myrstol was appointed Director of the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJ-SAC) on September 7, 2012. Dr. Myrstol is an Assistant Professor of Justice, serving as a member of the Justice Center faculty since 2009. Immediately prior to joining the Justice Center, Dr. Myrstol was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice at the University of Arkansas, where he also served as a Research Assistant Professor in the Community and Family Institute. The Alaska Justice and Statistical Analysis Center  was established by Administrative Order of Governor Bill Sheffield in 1986 and has been housed within the Justice Center since that time.

Research
Dr. Myrstol’s current research spans three substantive areas: (1) public perceptions of police, (2) homelessness and criminal justice, and (3) the criminal justice response to violence against women. His research has been published in a number of criminal justice and criminology journals, including Crime & Delinquency, Western Criminology Review, the American Journal of Criminal Justice, the Journal of Drug Issues, and Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management.

His most recent studies include an examination the intersection of place and social capital on depressive symptomology of homeless persons, and a study of Alaska Native perceptions of police in Anchorage. Dr. Myrstol just completed a study of the discriminant validity of marijuana odor detection in police searches, and he currently serves as Co-Investigator of the Alaska Victimization Survey, a statewide data collection effort unique to Alaska that is designed to provide reliable and valid estimates of intimate partner violence and sexual violence that can be used to guide planning and policy development.

From 2002 to 2006 Dr. Myrstol worked as a Research Associate in the Justice Center. During this time, he was the Co-Principal Investigator and Project Director of the Anchorage Community Survey, the Project Safe Neighborhoods Household Survey, and the Police Alcohol-related Services Study; Project Coordinator for the Anchorage Community Indicators Project; Lead Data Analyst for Project Safe Neighborhoods – Alaska; and, Site Coordinator for the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) program. In addition to these duties, Dr. Myrstol’s dissertation research examining the impact of citizen alcohol use on police patrol was conducted in Anchorage with the Anchorage Police Department during this period.  Dr. Myrstol holds a doctorate in criminal justice from Indiana University.

Statistical Analysis Centers (SACs)
Since 1972, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) and its predecessor agency, the National Criminal Justice Information and Statistics Service, has provided support to state and territorial governments to establish and operate Statistical Analysis Centers (SACs) to collect, analyze, and report statistics on crime and justice to federal, state, and local levels of government, and to share state-level information nationally. There are currently SACs in 53 states and territories. The SACs are represented by the Justice Research and Statistics Association (JRSA).

The information produced by SACs and their involvement in criminal justice projects have been, and will continue to be, critical to federal, state, and local criminal justice agencies and community organizations as they develop programs and policies related to crime, illegal drugs, victim services, and the administration of justice.

Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJ-SAC)
The Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center was established by Administrative Order No. 89, signed by Governor Sheffield on July 2, 1986. The AJ-SAC was declared responsible for assisting Alaska criminal justice agencies and state and local governments and officials by:
•    Maintaining data and researching available information bases;
•    Providing advice and service related to technical and procedural problems involving statistical analysis of justice data;
•    Developing methods and conducting statistical analyses;
•    Responding to requests for justice information; and
•    Providing Alaska representation to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), and the Justice Research and Statistics Association (JRSA).

In fulfilling these responsibilities, the AJ-SAC may be called upon to assist state and local justice agencies and organizations in securing federal grants to respond to specific informational and/or data requests from BJS, BJA, JRSA, or other entities under the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) umbrella.

Wanted: Women in Law Enforcement - Recruitment Fair will be October 24 on campus

The 4th annual Women in Law Enforcement Recruitment Fair will be held on Wednesday, October 24, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the UAA Student Union, Upper Level  next to the Wells Fargo Sports Complex. Parking is free. This event is open to everyone.

Although Alaska's population is 48% female, only about 10% of sworn law enforcement officers are women. Law enforcement agencies are actively recruiting for female officers. Local, 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.

Dr. Brad Myrstol is the faculty coordinator. For more information, call the Justice Center at 786-1810.

Prof. Fortson among attorneys recognized at event for Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

Alaska Bar Board of Governors, volunteer attorneys, and committee members join
Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on stage after the program.
Front row seated l to r: Alaska Supreme Court Justice Walter Carpeneti, Alaska Bar Board of Governors
President Hanna Sebold, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (Ret.),
Alaska Supreme Court Chief Justice Dana Fabe, and
member of the 1955-1956 Alaska Constitutional Convention Vic Fisher.
See below for full photo caption.

Prof. Ryan Forston, J.D., Justice faculty, was among the members of the Alaska Bar Association Law Related Education (LRE) Committee who were recognized for their ongoing work during a special event with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor (Ret.) on September 5 at the Dena 'ina Center. The Law Related Education Committee is responsible for presenting programs and producing publications to aid the public in understanding the law and the legal system.

Justice O'Connor was in Anchorage at the invitation of the Alaska Court System to talk about, "Revitalizing Civic Education in America." In 2009, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor founded iCivics - a project to reverse Americans’ declining civic knowledge and participation, and to teach the next generation to understand and respect our system of governance.  While in Anchorage she was also scheduled to meet with students and teachers.

The audience listens as Alaska Supreme Court Chief Justice Dana Fabe
introduces Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

iCivics has a national leadership team of state supreme court justices, secretaries of state, and educational leaders and a network of committed volunteers in all 50 states. Alaska Supreme Court Justice Walter Carpeneti is the chair of the Alaska iCivics Committee.  Barbara Hood, Communications Counsel for the Alaska Court System, serves Alaska’s iCivics Coordinator. The  iCivics free website has 16 educational video games for students and adults and teaching materials for educators.

Full photo caption:
Front row seated l to r: Alaska Supreme Court Justice Walter Carpeneti, Alaska Bar Board of Governors President Hanna Sebold, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (Ret.), Alaska Supreme Court Chief Justice Dana Fabe, member of the 1955 -1956 Alaska Constitutional Convention Vic Fisher.
Back row seated l to r: LRE Committee Member Leslie Hiebert, volunteer attorney Kathy Keck, Anchorage School District Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator Pam Orme, LRE Committee Member Stephanie Galbraith-Moore.
Standing l to r: Alaska Bar Executive Director Deborah O’Regan, Board of Governors member Mike Moberly, former Board of Governors member and Alaska Supreme Court Justice Peter Maassen, Board of Governors member Alaska Supreme Court Justice Alex Bryner (Ret.), LRE Committee member Brooks Chandler, LRE Committee member Bryan Schroder, LRE Committee member Prof. Ryan Fortson, Superior Court Judge Peter Michalski (Ret.), LRE Committe Chair Barbara Jones, volunteer attorney Laura Fox, Board of Governors New Lawyer Liaison Leslie Need, Board of Governors member Blake Chupka, Alaska Court System Communications Counsel and Alaska iCivics Coordinator Barbara Hood. (Not pictured: LRE Committee members Prof. Deb Periman and Prof. Jason Brandeis of the UAA Justice Center.)

September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day

World Suicide Prevention Day is an opportunity for all sectors of the community - the public, charitable organizations, communities, researchers, clinicians, practitioners, and policy makers, volunteers, those bereaved by suicide, and other interested groups and individuals -  to join with state, national, and international organizations, including the International Association for Suicide Prevention and the World Health Organization, to focus public attention on the tragic costs of suicidal behaviors and the need for prevention.

According to the Alaska Statewide Suicide Prevention Council,  Alaska has the highest suicide rate per capita in the nation.  The State of Alaska has released a report, "Casting the Net Upstream: Promoting Wellness to Prevent Suicide: FY2012-2017 Alaska State Suicide Prevention Plan."

4 individuals from Justice Center nominated for Chancellor's Awards for Excellence

Two faculty members and two staff members from the Justice Center have been nominated for 2012 Chancellor's Awards for Excellence:

• Dr. Sharon Chamard - Associate Professor - For Service to the Community
• Dr. Brad Myrstol - Assistant Professor - For Excellence in  Research/Creative Activity
• Barbara Armstrong - Research Associate - For Staff Excellence
• Amy Perkins - Fiscal Technician - For Staff Excellence

The Chancellor's Awards promote excellence in what we do and recognize individuals and groups for their exceptional service to the university community.

There are group and individual awards in nine categories.  Winners will be announced at the September 21 Faculty and Staff Convocation at the Wendy Williamson Auditorium.

Click here for a full list of nominees and criteria for nomination.

Save the date - pizza party for justice & paralegal students, alums, faculty on September 19!

Pizza Party for Justice & Paralegal Students, Alums, Faculty!
Wednesday, September 19, 2011
4:00 -5:30 p.m.

Justice Center, Consortium Library
2nd floor, LIB 213

Drop in for pizza and beverages and meet your advisors, professors, 

fellow students, and alums!  Hope to see you on Wednesday!

Justice students at a past student event enjoy the food!

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice Program
Undergraduate Coordinator,
samples the pizza at the 2011 party.

Justice Center and UAA closed Wednesday, Sep 5, due to wind storm

UAA and the Justice Center are closed today due to last night's wind storm.

Dr. Rosay awarded visiting executive research fellowship with National Institute of Justice

Dr. André B. Rosay

Dr. André B. Rosay, Justice Center Director, has been awarded a Visiting Executive Research Fellowship with the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).  As a Visiting Executive Research Fellow, he will be supporting NIJ’s program of research on violence against Indian women in tribal communities.

The Visiting Fellows Program brings leading researchers into residency at NIJ in Washington, D.C. to make important scholarly contributions in a specific area of criminal justice research.  The Visiting Executive Research Fellowship also gives Dr. Rosay the opportunity to work with the NIJ Director and staff to help shape the direction of NIJ’s research programs.

Visiting Fellows are accomplished researchers with credentials and experience that demonstrate significant achievements in – and a continuing commitment to – using research to advance our ability to solve the persistent challenges of crime and justice.  UAA received a grant of $493,000 to support the research activities under this program.

Dr. Rosay is the first Alaskan to be awarded a Visiting Executive Research Fellowship.  In fiscal year 2011, Dr. Rosay received more than one million dollars in external funding to support his research on violence against women.

Dr. Allan Barnes, Justice faculty, will serve as Acting Director of the Justice Center during Dr. Rosay’s appointment to the National Institute of Justice.