Justice Center announces new Legal Studies programs at UAA

Starting in the Spring 2013 the Justice Center will be offering 5 new programs in Legal Studies:

• Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies
• Legal Studies Minor
• Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies
• Legal Nurse Consultant (LNC) Paralegal Certificate
• Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Paralegal Studies

 All 5 programs are open for enrollment. Contact the Justice Center at 786-1810. 

 Prof. Deb Periman is the Legal Studies Program Coordinator.

Dr. Chamard appointed to 2 Muni advisory commissions

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice Center faculty, was recently appointed to the Municipality of Anchorage's Municipal Airports Aviation Advisory Commission (MAAC), and was reappointed in October to a third term on the Muni's Public Safety Advisory Commission (PSAC).

MAAC receives reports from the airport manager and organizations related to municipal aviation activities and meets 6 times per year. The Commission makes recommendations to the Mayor and the Assembly.

PSAC identifies broad public safety issues of concern to the citizens of the municipality, and advises the Mayor and Assembly on these issues.  The Commission solicits input from the public and works closely with the Anchorage Police Department, Anchorage Fire Department, and Office of Emergency Management to identify trends and problems that may arise.

Dr. Chamard previously served six years on the Public Safety Advisory Commission, and was vice chair and chair.  

Prof. Fortson assists at AFN convention legal clinic

Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D. (Justice faculty), was one of the Alaska Bar Association volunteer lawyers at the  Second Annual Elizabeth Peratrovich Legal Clinic held in conjunction with the 2012 Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) Convention in Anchorage.  Prof. Fortson assisted clients with general civil issues.  Prior to joining the UAA faculty, he was in private practice in Anchorage.

The legal clinic was scheduled on October 18 at the Dena'ina Center.  This event is a partnership of the Alaska Federation of Natives, the Alaska Bar Native Law Section, Alaska Legal Services Corporation, and the Alaska Native Justice Center.

Volunteer attorney Grace LaVance in foreground,
Prof. Fortson in background -  facing forward on right.
Photo by Erin Hooley courtesy of the Alaska Bar Association

Dr. Payne's research on chronic nuisance abatement in Green Bay, WI highlighted by WBAY ABC Channel 2 News

Dr. Troy Payne's research on chronic nuisance abatement in Green Bay, Wisconsin, conducted with Crime Analyst Michelle Arneson of the Green Bay, Wisconsin Police Department, was noted by ABC News Channel 2 WBAY Green Bay for a segment titled, "Program Cleaning Up Green Bay Becomes a Model." Dr. Payne is a Justice faculty member.

Dr. Payne made a presentation on his findings to the Green Bay, Wisconsin Police Department via Skype this month.  He and Michelle Arneson also made a presentation about this data at the American Society of Criminology annual meeting in Chicago on November 14-17. They discussed, "Is Knowing Half the Battle? Improving Place Management through Chronic Nuisance Notification."

Dr. Rivera's award for underage drinking research noted in online Judicial ENews publication

Dr. Marny Rivera's award for research on underage drinking conducted in partnership with Volunteers of America Alaska  (VOA Alaska) was noted in the November 2012 online issue of Judicial ENews: Underage Drinking Related Issues and Court Practices. The award was presented in May 2012 by the Mutual of American Foundation. Dr. Rivera is a member of the Justice faculty and is the Justice Undergraduate Program Coordinator.

VOA Alaska has partnered with the UAA Justice Center, as well as the State of Alaska District Attorney's Office, the Alaska Court System, and others, in administering the Juvenile Alcohol Safety Action Program (JASP). Since 2005, JASP has worked with Alaska youths 13-20 years old. The program streamlines underage drinking cases by providing a model and services for screening, case management, treatment evaluation, and verification of program completion by juvenile offenders.

Homer Tribune reprints Daily News Compass piece by Dr. Rosay on Alaska Victimization Survey

The Homer Tribune has reprinted the Anchorage Daily News Compass article on the Alaska Victimization Survey by Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, and Lauree Morton, Executive Director, Alaska Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Titled, "Facing Shockingly High Rates of Violence," the article appeared online in the Homer Tribune as a Point of View piece on November 20, 2012.

The article thanks the many women who participated in the Alaska Victimization Survey (AVS),  and describes the recent release of data from the AVS for the Kodiak Island Borough, the City and Borough of Sitka, and the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.

The Compass article was originally published in the Anchorage Daily News online on November 5, 2012 and in the November 6, 2012 print issue.

Justice Center closed November 22 & 23 for Thanksgiving break

UAA and the Justice Center will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 22 and 23, for the Thanksgiving break.

We wish you and your families a very happy and safe holiday!

Dr. Chamard presents at community leadership workshop series

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, presented at the 2012 Community Leadership Workshop Series sponsored by NeighborWorks® Anchorage.  On October 20, 2012, Dr. Chamard discussed "Community Action," including the role of community councils, and how to organize to get things done in a community setting.

This series of four workshops were free and open to all Anchorage residents and community members. Topics included Community Issues, Community Vision, Community Engagement, and Community Action.

NeighborWorks® Anchorage focuses on affordable rental housing, home ownership/rehabilitation, and community engagement and resident services.  The organization is dedicated to improving the quality of life for families and individuals by preserving homes, creating new housing opportunities and strengthening neighborhoods.

Regina Edwards joins Justice Center as office manager

Regina Edwards

Regina Edwards joined the Justice Center staff as office manager on November 5.  Regina is new to Alaska and most recently was the budget manager for the Seattle Municipal Court.

We look forward to working with Regina as we start this new chapter.

Justice alum tapped to be Muni Associate Ombudsman

Heather MacAlpine

Heather MacAlpine, Justice B.A. Cum Laude ’12, has been hired as the Municipality of Anchorage (MOA) Associate Ombudsman. Heather is a former research technician at the Justice Center. She is also a member of Alpha Phi Sigma, the national criminal justice honor society.


The Ombudsman's Office was established in addition to other remedies or rights of appeal, as an independent, impartial municipal office, readily available to the public, responsible to the Assembly, empowered to investigate the acts of Municipal agencies and Anchorage School District, and to recommend appropriate changes toward the goals of safeguarding the rights of persons and of promoting higher standards of competency, efficiency, and equity in the provision of municipal services. Darrel Hess is the MOA Ombudsman.

Dr. Rosay presents at Reclaiming Futures event on juvenile substance abuse treatment

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center, presents at the panel discussion and reception sponsored by the Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice and Volunteers of America - Alaska on November 20, 2012. Dr. Rosay will discuss his research on juvenile substance abuse, and the impact on treatment completion and recidivism that the Reclaiming Futures Anchorage program has had in Alaska .

The Reclaiming Futures model for juvenile substance abuse treatment has been used in 29 communities, large and small, rural and urban, in 17 states, including one Indian reservation.  It has been used in Anchorage for the past ten years and has brought together judges, juvenile justice professionals, treatment providers and community leaders to identify how juvenile courts can provide substance abuse treatment teens need to help them be successful.

Reclaiming Futures is an initiative created in 2001 by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that offers a new approach to helping teenagers caught in the cycle of drugs, alcohol and crime.  The national office of Reclaiming Futures is housed in the Regional Research Institute of the School of Social Work at Portland State University. www.reclaimingfutures.org.

Prof. Brandeis publishes article in Alaska Law Review

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Justice faculty, has recently had an article accepted by the Alaska Law Review.  The article, "The Continuing Vitality of Ravin v. State: Alaskans Still Have a Constitutional Right to Possess Marijuana in the Privacy of Their Homes," will be published in December 2012.

The article addresses the unique history and case law surrounding the Alaska Constitution's right to privacy and how it applies to private, personal marijuana use.

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 the writing and publication of this article, he provided legal representation in administrative agency proceedings for the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Alaska. 

Alaska Justice Forum editor joins Anchorage Reentry Coalition

Barbara Armstrong, editor of the Alaska Justice Forum, is now a member of the Anchorage Reentry Coalition.  The Coalition is one of three current regional coalitions - Anchorage, Kenai, and Mat-Su - that were created under the auspices of the Alaska Prisoner Reentry Task Force to assist in:

•  informing communities about prisoner reentry issues, 
• educating regional probation offices about available community resources, and 
• identifying gaps in community resources.

Prof. Fortson discusses U.S. Constitution with Coast Guard military members

Obverse of coin

Reverse of coin

Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D., Justice faculty, spoke at the U.S. Coast Guard Section Anchorage Stand-Down on October 12, 2012. Prof. Fortson presented a basic outline of the Constitution including a brief history of the document, and a discussion of amendments.  Over 100 Coast Guard personnel attended this event held at Joint Base Elemendorf-Richardson Education Center.

Prof. Fortson was presented with a Coast Guard commemorative coin as thanks for his participation in the event.

Justice faculty meet with Alaska Law Review members

Justice faculty met with members of the editorial board of the Alaska Law Review (ALR) in October to discuss topics for upcoming articles, existing UAA Justice programs, legal issues practitioners are considering for articles, and current Justice Center research.

The ALR group also  met with the UAA Pre-Law Society and discussed law school and the admissions process. Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Justice faculty and UAA Pre-law Society co-advisor, coordinated the visit to the UAA campus.

The Alaska Law Review is a scholarly publication that examines legal issues affecting the state of Alaska. It is composed of second and third year law students from Duke University School of Law, and governed by a faculty advisor committee. Because Alaska does not have a law school, the Alaska Bar Association selected Duke University School of Law to publish the Alaska Law Review.

Dr. Chamard presents on relationship between poverty and the criminal justice system for OLE course

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, presented at the 2012 Fall OLE! (Opportunities for Lifelong Education) 8-week course, "The Working Poor: Invisible in America."  On October 26, she was the guest lecturer and discussed the relationship between poverty and the criminal justice system, and the "criminalization" of the poor.

Author David Shipler attended the first class to talk about his book The Working Poor: Invisible in America.  Participants were encouraged to read the book, one of the 2011-2013 UAA/APU Books of the Year. Various UAA faculty were invited to elaborate on the themes in the book including: measuring inequality, raising families in poverty, the relationship between poverty and the criminal justice system, food insecurity and the trials of aging.

In addition to Dr. Chamard, other participating UAA faculty include Dr. Nelta Edwards, Sociology; Dr. Judith Owens-Manley, Center for Community Engagement and Learning; Dr. Ann Jache, Sociology and Gerontology; and Dr. Tracey Burke, Social Work.

OLE! presents "stimulating courses for the intellectually curious," and is a nonprofit corporation affiliated with  UAA. The UAA Division for Institutional Effectiveness is the campus liaison for OLE!. Courses are open to any adult, but are specifically designed for people over the age of 50.  

Dr. Payne presents to Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force on police use of force research

Dr. Payne (standing) presents to the Task Force.

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, presented to the Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force on November 9, 2012 on "Research Perspectives on the Use and Control of Police Force." (Click title for link to the paper.) He described the use of force continuum, research data available and the limitations of the data, and the absence of national standards for police use of force. Research suggests that the strongest correlate of police use of force is citizen resistance.

The Task Force serves as a primary liaison organization between the ethnic minority community and the Anchorage Police Department. Members of the Task Force include representatives from local, state, and federal agencies; a variety of cultural and ethnic groups; the Anchorage community; and local organizations and advocacy groups. Rev. William Green is the Task Force Chair.  Administrative support is provided by the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission.

Justice Center faculty present at American Society of Criminology annual meeting in Chicago, November 2012

Justice Center faculty will be presenting at the 2012 American Society of Criminology annual meeting in Chicago, November 14-17.  The theme for the 2012 event is "Thinking about Context: Challenges for Crime and Justice."

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. 

Thematic Panel: "Patterns of Violence Against Women in Alaska: Estimates, Correlates, and Batterer Interventions" 

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, Chair. This panel presents results from Alaskan studies designed as robust replications of two significant Outside studies.

"Estimates of Violence Against Women from the Alaska Victimization Survey"
Dr. André Rosay; Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice faculty; and Katherine TePas, Office of the Governor, State of Alaska

"Health Correlates of Violence Against Women: Results from the Alaska Victimization Survey"
Dr. Marny Rivera, Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center; Dr. Gabriel Garcia, UAA Department of Health Sciences faculty; Katherine TePas, Office of the Governor, State of Alaska

"Rural and Urban Differences in Intimate Partner Violence: Estimates from the Alaska Victimization Survey"
Dr. Darryl Wood, Justice affiliate faculty, Washington State University - Vancouver; Dr. André Rosay; Katherine TePas, Office of the Governor, State of Alaska

"Evaluation of Fairbanks Domestic Violence Misdemeanor Pilot Project: Preliminary Results and Their Policy Implications"
Dr. Cory R. Lepage, Justice faculty

Thematic Panel: "Crime and Place: Examining Chronic Nuisance Regulations"

"Is Knowing Half the Battle? Improving Place Management through Chronic Nuisance Notification"
Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, and Michele Arneson, Crime Analyst, Green Bay, Wisconsin Police Department
 

Poster Session

"Predicting the Location of New Homeless Encampments"
Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty

Dr. Rivera on team awarded College of Health mini-grant to design interdisciplinary course

Representatives of the College of Health

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice Undergraduate Program Coordinator, is a member of the team that has been awarded a mini-grant from the College of Health (COH) to develop an interdisciplinary course titled "Critical Behavioral Health Issues in Alaska." COH recently announced eight new interdisciplinary education projects that are receiving mini-grants.

Five different units are involved in developing and presenting the course, "Critical Behavioral Health Issues in Alaska": the Center for Human Development, the Justice Center, the School of Social Work, and the Department of Health Sciences - all in the College of Health (COH), and the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS).

Team members developing the course are Dr. Jenny Miller, Department of Health Sciences; Dr. Mary Dallas Allen, School of Social Work; Dr. Karen Ward, Center for Human Development; Dr. Patricia Sandberg, Department of Psychology; and Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice Center;

The course is designed to offer students an overview of serious social problems in Alaska:

• domestic violence, 
• sexual assault, 
• substance abuse, and 
• suicide. 

Through an interdisciplinary lens, students will learn about evidence-based practices and Alaska resources for addressing these issues.

Dr. Barnes and Prof. Periman meet students at Student Life & Leadership ice cream social

Dr. Allan Barnes, Justice Center Acting Director, and Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Justice faculty, participated in the "Meet Your Advisor Ice Cream Social" sponsored by Student Life and Leadership on October 30 in the Student Union.

The event was an opportunity for students to meet and mingle with academic advisors and to learn about the importance of staying on track towards graduation.

Prof. Periman (left) explains some of the program options
offered through the Justice Center.

Anchorage Daily News Compass article by Dr. Rosay and Lauree Morton on the Alaska Victimization Survey

"So many Alaska women still suffer violence - and their courage is a marvel" is the title of a Compass article by Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, and Lauree Morton, Executive Director, Alaska Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, published in the Anchorage Daily News online on November 5, 2012 and in the November 6, 2012 print issue.

The article thanks the many women who participated in the Alaska Victimization Survey (AVS),  and describes the recent release of data from the AVS for the Kodiak Island Borough, the City and Borough of Sitka, and the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.

The authors note, "This annual survey continues to highlight the truly horrific fact that about half of adult women in Alaska have experienced intimate partner violence, sexual violence, or both at some point in their lives. What is even more troubling is that we know that these estimates are conservative because of the limitations under which the survey had to be conducted."

Links to both in-state and national resources are listed in the article.

Update: This piece was republished as "Facing shockingly high rates of violence" in the HomerTribune on November, 14, 2012.

Dr. Chamard attends advanced crime prevention through environmental design training course

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, joined representatives from the Anchorage Police Department (APD), the Municipal Planning Department, the Alaska Railroad, the Municipal Ombudsman's office, and retail sector security, at the "Advanced Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED)" workshop hosted September 11-14 in Anchorage by the Alaska Peace Officers Association (APOA). 

This workshop was developed by the National Crime Prevention Council to highlight how CPTED can be used to reduce crime in given areas through design and use of buildings, public spaces, landscaping, barriers, and lighting.

The Anchorage program focused primarily on parks, and workshop attendees did field exercises at Town Square Park and Kincaid Park. Field exercises were also held at the bus transportation center at the Dimond Center Mall.

"Inside Job" film and discussion event on Thursday, November 8

Justice and Legal Studies students are invited to a 

UAA/APU Books of the Year film and discussion event!

 

See "Inside Job" - This 2012 documentary narrated by Matt Damon looks at the financial deregulation scandal and the ensuring global crisis which has impacted millions and still reverberates today.

When: Thursday, November 8, 2012, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Where: Social Sciences Building (SSB) 118

Join us for popcorn, a movie, and discussion!

Questions? Contact Prof. Deb Periman dkperiman@uaa.alaska.edu or Dr. Ron Everett rseverett@uaa.alaska.edu.

Victimization survey results show that almost half of adult women in the City and Borough of Sitka have experienced intimate partner violence or sexual violence or both

The results of the 2012 Victimization Survey for the City and Borough of Sitka were released at a press conference on October 19 in Sitka.  The troubling numbers show that:

• 47% of adult women in the City and Borough of Sitka have experienced intimate partner violence, sexual violence or both, in their lifetime;
•  Nearly 7% have experienced intimate partner violence, sexual violence or both, in the past year;
• One out of every four adult women in the City and Borough of Sitka have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime; and 
• Four out of every 10 have experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime.

The survey was designed to measure the lifetime and past year exposure to sexual violence and intimate partner violence. It was conducted from March to May 2012 in the City and Borough of Sitka through a contract with the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA), with supplemental funding from the Governor's Choose Respect initiative to end the epidemic of domestic violence and sexual assault in Alaska. Respondents were randomly selected by phone (using both land lines and cellphones).  Details of the survey are available at: http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/justice/avs/

More Information:
For more background on this project, visit http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/justice/avs/
For more information about CDVSA, visit http://www.dps.state.ak.us/CDVSA/
For more information about resources in Sitka visit http:www.safv.org/

Below are links to media coverage of this event:

• "Survey Aims to Reduce Violence Against Women" by Anne Brice (KCAW Raven Radio, Oct 22, 2012).
• "Survey Sets Goal Of Curbing Violence" (Daily Sitka Sentinel, Oct 25, 2012).

Justice Center meets with students at Fall Preview Day

Prof. Fortson speaks to students about Justice programs.

Alaska junior and senior high school students attended the 2012 Fall Preview Day on Friday, October 19, in the Student Union.  The Justice Center was one of many departments exhibiting at the event.

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice Undergraduate Program Coordinator, and Prof. Ryan Fortson, Justice faculty, spoke with students and parents about Justice and Legal Studies courses, and the types of careers available in the fields of law,  justice, and criminology.