Urban in Alaska presentation by Dr. Chamard part of public radio 91.1 KSKA's Addressing Alaskans series

The podcast for the March 29 The Urban in Alaska Conference session, "Architecture, Public Space, and Urban Design," was broadcast by KSKA's "Addressing Alaskans" on April 16 and is archived on the KSKA website.

Dr. Chamard's presentation was part of this session and examined “Conflict Over Public Space: Responses to Chronic Public Inebriates in Anchorage.”

"Addressing Alaskans" features local lectures and forums recorded at public events taking place in Southcentral, Alaska. A variety of local organizations host speakers addressing topics that matter to Alaskans.

Panelists for The Urban in Alaska event included Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice Center faculty; Klaus Mayer, architect and member of the Alaska Design Forum board of directors; Dr. Sheila Selkregg, associate professor of public administration at UAA; and Bruce Farnsworth, writer, community organizer, founder and director of the MTS Gallery in Anchorage (2005-2011) and member of the art group Light Brigade Kor4.

The goal of the “The Urban in Alaska” conference and workshop was to bring scholars and community members together to engage in dialogue about current research on Anchorage as an urban space.  The conference was sponsored by the UAA Department of Health Sciences and the UAA Center for Community Engagement and Learning. The conference was free and open to the public.

Justice Center faculty invited to serve on King Career Center public safety and security class advisory board

King Career Center, Anchorage

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator, and Dr. Sharon Chamard, Survey Research Center Director , have been invited to serve on the King Career Center Public Safety and Security Class Advisory Board.

The advisory board comprises educators and professionals who provide input on current trends, focus areas, and potential new courses.  Educators on the board also participate in course evaluation.  Teena Calkin is the Public Safety and Security Instructor.

 Vocational/technical education at the King Career Center offers students the opportunity to explore career options and learn the skills needed to obtain an entry-level position in the career of their choice. In addition, students will learn what will be expected of them in the world of work and the skills necessary to apply and interview for a job.  

Prof. Wolfe teaches forensic science for OLE! course

OLE course students during a tour of the state crime lab.

Prof. Jim Wolfe, Justice adjunct faculty, recently finished teaching a 3-week course, "Forensic Science: An Overview with an Alaskan Perspective," for OLE!.  The course covered forensic science in general, what is it, who does it and where, and specific areas such as biological evidence, DNA, and impression evidence.

Prof. Wolfe then discussed how these tied into Alaska specific cases such as the 2001 pipeline shooting, and several high profile homicides in the state. The course also included a tour of the Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory here in Anchorage.

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.

Far left standing, Prof. Jim Wolfe with students in in his class pose for a group photo in the lobby of the crime lab.

Dr. Myrstol invited to address Anchorage Police Community Relations Task Force about research in AJSAC Fact Sheets

Far right, Dr. Brad Myrstol presents data from the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Fact Sheets to
the Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force.

Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice faculty and director of the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC), was invited to address the Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force about research in recent issues of the AJSAC Fact Sheet. The meeting was held April 12 at the Fairview Community Center.

Dr. Myrstol  discussed data from "Violent Crimes Arrests in Alaska during 1980-2011" and "Assaults Committed Against Alaska Police Officers, 2002-2011."  The increase in violent crime arrest rates during the period was due to substantial increases in robbery and aggravated assault arrests.  Since 2002 the overall rate of assault on Alaska police officers has increased. Between 2002-2011, approximately 40 percent of all assaults on officers occurred when officers were responding to a disturbance, and the percentage is increasing.

The Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force was established in 1981 and acts as a liaison between the ethnic minority community and the Anchorage Police Department (APD).  It provides a forum for input and constructive dialog between the ethnic minority community and APD.

Collateral Consequences Work Group forms to look at reentry barriers for offenders

The newly formed Collateral Consequences Work Group held its first organizational meeting in April. The work group was initiated to assist the bipartisan efforts of Senators John Coghill (R),  Fred Dyson (R), Johnny Ellis (D), and Hollis French (D) to reduce recidivism in Alaska.

The work group has been asked to look for public safety-oriented strategies to mitigate statutory and regulatory barriers to offender reentry. Former Department of Corrections Deputy Commissioner Carmen Gutierrez organized the work group and serves as chair.

Individuals convicted of certain offenses are barred from particular jobs and licenses, and may be prohibited from receiving specific types of government benefits, even though the offender has completed his/her sentence. These barriers to reentry to the community are a grave concern. Alaska currently has 492 statutes and regulations that create a collateral consequence for an offender.

Because of the bipartisan effort in Alaska, the director of the National Inventory of Collateral Consequences of Conviction Project is set to next inventory Alaska's 492 statutes and regulations.
Congress directed the National Institute of Justice to collect and study collateral consequences in all U.S. jurisdictions, and NIJ selected the American Bar Association (ABA) Criminal Justice Section to perform the necessary research and analysis.  The results are now being made available through an interactive website. Collateral consequences for seventeen states and the federal system have been uploaded to the website. The project target completion date is April 2014.

The goal of the work group is outlined in the Task Force's Five-Year Prisoner Reentry Strategic Plan, 2011-2016: examine current employment restrictions and other collateral consequences for offenders, identify alternatives as recommendations to more carefully tailor restrictions to public safety that are appropriate to Alaska, and address ways of reducing liability of employers and landlords.

Work group members include:

• Carmen Gutierrez, Chair
• Deb Periman, UAA Justice Center
• Mary Geddes, former Assistant U.S. Federal Defender
• Susie Dosik, Alaska Judicial Council
• Doug Wooliver, Alaska Court System

Prof. Periman outlined some of the collateral consequences facing offenders in Alaska in a 2011 Alaska Justice Forum article, "Prisoner Reentry and the Uniform Collateral Consequences of Conviction Act."

April 21 - 27 is National Crime Victims' Rights Week

This year's theme for National Crime Victims' Rights Week is "New Challenges. New Solutions." The theme reflects the spirit that launched the victims' rights movement and inspired its progress; it also renews the field's power to meet new challenges. This commemorative week has been set aside since 1981 to honor crime victims and the first responders, advocates, counselors, and others who assist them in their time of need, and the law enforcement personnel who work to bring offenders to justice.

In Alaska, the Office of Victims' Rights provides free legal services to victims of crime to help them obtain the rights they are guaranteed under the Alaska constitution and statutes with regard to their contacts with police, prosecutors, judges, and other criminal justice agencies in this state, as well as to advance and protect those victim rights in court when necessary and authorized by law.

Victims for Justice is a nonprofit in Alaska with the mission of serving victims of violent crime and the survivors of victims of homicide.

Dr. Payne interviewed for Alaska Dispatch article on failed gun legislation

Dr. Troy Payne, Crime Mapping Center Director, was interviewed for an article in the Alaska Dispatch looking at the recent failed gun legislation in Congress.

• Alaska Dispatch: "Begich crosses aisle on gun vote, igniting controversy," by Ben Anderson, April 18, 2013.

Dr. Payne commented on federal and state constitutional rights regarding gun ownership.

UAF Justice Department faculty visit UAA Justice Center

l to r: Prof. Jeff May - UAF, Dr. Sharon Chamard, Dr. Ryan Forston, Dr. Allan Barnes, Prof. Mike Daku - UAF.
Not pictured: UAF Emeritus Professor Gary Copus.

Professors Mike Daku, UAF Justice Department Chair, and Jeff May, UAF Justice faculty, visited the UAA Justice Center while on campus to present at the Alaska Native Studies Conference held April 5 and 6.  UAF Emeritus Professor Gary Copus, UAF Justice Dept., was also a presenter at the conference.

Professors Daku and May met with Dr. Allan Barnes, Justice Center Acting Director; Dr. Sharon Chamard, Survey Research Center Director; and Dr. Ryan Fortson, Justice Center faculty.

Justice major Kelsey Waldorf selected to be 2013 student commencement speaker

Kelsey Waldorf

Kelsey Waldorf, a Justice major, will address the Class of 2013 at the UAA Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, May 5, at the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage.

Kelsey is a member of the University Honors College and participates in the Forty-Ninth State Fellows program. She has worked as a student researcher on a project with the Alaska State Troopers and Anchorage Police Department, and is a mentor with the UAA TAPESTRY program, which trains and matches student mentors with students who have mental disabilities.

This spring she will earn a B.A. in Justice with minors in Political Science and Communications. After accepting her diploma, Kelsey plans to spend a year interning at a political office in the Lower 48 or teaching English in Vietnam before starting law school. Ultimately, she hopes to become a field agent for the FBI.  
Click here to read more about Kelsey.

Prof. Periman demonstrates features of online Alaska Youth Law Guide

The Alaska Court System is distributing this
poster statewide to publicize the guide.
It was designed by Barbara Hood, Communications
Counsel for the Alaska Court System.

The Alaska Youth Law Guide: A Handbook for Teens and Young Adults, a web project of the Alaska Bar Association Law Related Education (LRE) Committee, is now online, and efforts are ramping up to get the word out about this great resource.
  
Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., chair of the drafting subcommittee for the guide, and Krista Scully, Alaska Bar Association Pro Bono Director, made a recent presentation to the Anchorage Youth Development Coalition on the features of the guide.  Prof. Periman also recently spoke to the Anchorage Youth Court about the guide.

The guide has chapters on

• Law Enforcement
• Sex, Drugs & Rock n' Roll
•  Entering the Real World
• Cars and Guns
• Family Life
• Schools
• Courts

The goal of the guide is to help young Alaskans understand the law and how it may affect them. It provides general information about many of the legal issues teens and young adults are likely to encounter, and resources for getting more information or assistance.

Art work was selected from entries in the 2011 "Justice For All" art contest sponsored by the Alaska Court System and the Alaska Bar Law Related Education Committee.  

Prof. demonstrates features of the guide to the Anchorage Youth Development Coalition.

 Below: Bookmarks with the URL for the guide are part of the advertising campaign. The bookmark was developed by Krista Scully, Pro Bono Director for the Alaska Bar Association.

Drs. Payne and Chamard awarded grant re interlock ignition device research

Ignition interlock device.

Drs. Troy Payne and Sharon Chamard, Justice Center faculty, were awarded a Faculty Development Grant for research on implementation of ignition interlock devices (IID) in Alaska.  Alcohol ignition interlock devices require drivers to pass a breath alcohol test before starting their vehicle.

The study examines court data to determine the extent to which these devices are included in sentencing orders for those convicted of drunk driving in the state.  Payne and Chamard presented preliminary results of the research at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences held in Dallas, Texas in March 2013.  

Kyle Mansfield, a senior in the Justice B.A. program, is a student assistant on the project.

Ignition interlock device mounted to underside
of car dashboard.

Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center Fact Sheet on assaults against police cited in ADN article on recent shooting

 The most recent issue of the  Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC) Fact Sheet series, "Assaults Committed Against Alaska Police Officers, 2002-2011,"  issue number 13-03 was mentioned in a media report related to the recent police shooting:

• Anchorage Daily News: "With officers cleared, police offer explanation for fatal February shooting," by Casey Grove, April 16, 2013 - includes video

The Fact Sheet examines data on assaults on Alaska police including rates of assault, percentage of assaults resulting in injury, weapons used in assaults, and officers killed in the line of duty (1960–2011).   Data are drawn from the annual Crime in Alaska report of the Alaska Department of Public Safety.

The AJSAC is housed within the UAA Justice Center and publishes a monthly Fact Sheet addressing various crime and criminal justice topics. Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice faculty, is the AJSAC director. 

Dr. Payne publishes research on chronic nuisance reports to Green Bay, Wisconsin police

The research report by Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, and Crime Analyst Michelle Arneson, Green Bay, Wisconsin Police Department,  "Green Bay Chronic Nuisance Notification Evaluation, 2006-2010," is now available on the Justice Center website.

The report notes that Green Bay City Ordinance Chapter 28 allows the municipality to bill the owner of a property for excess police services.  Nuisances covered by the ordinance include harassment, disorderly conduct, prostitution, drug offenses, noise complaints, and warrant service.  Repeated nuisances at a property can substantially impact quality of life for nearby residents.

The authors examined calls for service at properties with chronic nuisance enforcement to determine if notifying owners of the potential for billing was associated with a reduction in calls for police service. The analysis found that owner notification is associated with reduced calls for service.

The best use of the chronic nuisance ordinance, the authors noted, may be as a credible threat. That is, the credible threat of chronic nuisance enforcement can be a powerful enticement for property owners to partner with the Green Bay Police Department on crime prevention and nuisance abatement efforts.

Dr. Payne and Michelle Arneson presented these findings to the Green Bay, Wisconsin Police Department via Skype last November.  They also presented these findings 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. Lepage's JUST 374 class on courts participates in mock jury selection

At podium: Cheng Vang as defense attorney checks his notes for questions. Far right: co-counsel John Croughen.

Dr. Cory Lepage's JUST 374 class, The Courts, recently participated in a mock jury selection.  Students playing the role of prosecutors and defense attorneys practiced voir dire - asking questions of potential jurors -  during class.  Other students from Dr. Lepage's JUST 110 Intro to Justice class volunteered to play the role of prospective jurors.

Students who were playing the role of lawyers were given a hypothetical domestic violence case two weeks earlier and had to prepare legally permissible questions to ask of each juror. Dr. Lepage acted as the judge in the mock jury selection.

At podium: Aaron Richwine as prosecutor begins his questioning. Far left: co-counsel Patrick Liddle takes notes.

Students volunteers from JUST 110 listen to "Judge" Lepage describe the case and the procedures for jury selection.

April 15 -19 is Childhood Exposure to Violence Prevention and Awareness Week

Each year, during the third week of April, Chicago Safe Start hosts Childhood Exposure to Violence (CEV) Prevention and Awareness Week to help lead efforts to increase awareness and reduce the impact of children's exposure to violence. The intention is to highlight the unique challenges we face as a nation for preventing, treating and caring for children exposed to violence.

According to the National Survey of Children's Exposure to Violence (NatSCEV), 60 percent of American children are exposed to violence, crime or abuse in their homes, schools and communities. Be it bullying, domestic violence or child abuse, exposure to violence - particularly multiple exposures - can interfere with a child's physical, emotional, and intellectual development.

To stress the point that everyone plays an important role in CEV prevention, the theme for this year's CEV Prevention and Awareness Week is "Every Person. Every Day."

Justice Center shines in UAA Performance '12 Report

The Justice Center is noted multiple times in the UAA Performance '12 report produced by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Engagement, and Academic Support.  Click here for an online copy of the report which was released  in fall 2012.

The Justice Center mentions appear as follows:

TEACHING AND SCHOLARSHIP
pg 12 – “New Programs” – MINOR – Legal Studies

Pg 13 -  “Top Undergraduate Degree Programs, FY2012” – Justice, BA 36 [graduates]

pg 19 – “2011-2013 UAA/APU Book of the Year – “UAA faculty Trish Jenkins, Nelta Edwards, Judith Owens-Manley, Sharon Chamard [Justice faculty], Cathy Sullivan, Ann Jache, Paolo (sic) Banchero, and Tracey Burke led discussions on eight specific topics related to the themes in David Shipler’s book The Working Poor: Invisible in America.”

RESEARCH
pg 23 – André B. Rosay, Justice Center Director, has been awarded a Visiting Executive Research Fellowship with the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). 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....

INSTITUTES AND CENTERS
pg. 25 - The Justice Center publishes the quarterly Alaska Justice Forum which highlights the Center’s current research and projects. In addition, the Center publishes reports and research overviews. Reports published in 2011-2012 examined gangs, a survey of violent and property offenses in Alaska, and techniques for collecting snow impression evidence.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND THE PUBLIC SQUARE
pg. 46 – Justice professor Marny Rivera’s research on underage drinking in Alaska, with the Volunteers of American Alaska’s Juvenile Alcohol Safety Action Program, was selected as a Merit Finalist for the 2011 Community Partnership Award from Mutual of America Foundation....

GRANT-FUNDED RESEARCH EXPENDITURES
pg. 76 – ANALYSIS OF RESULTS
The College of Health, third largest producer of grant-funded research expenditures, showed a 6.3% increase over FY11 to $1.8 million in FY12.  Major contributors to this total are the Justice Center (45%), the Institute for Circumpolar Health (28%), and the Center for Human Development (12%).

Urban in Alaska podcast now online - Dr. Chamard's presentation on public space

The podcast for the March 29 The Urban in Alaska Conference session, "Architecture, Public Space, and Urban Design," is now online.

Panelists included Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice Center faculty; Klaus Mayer, architect and member of the Alaska Design Forum board of directors; Sheila Selkregg, Ph.D., associate professor of public administration at UAA; and Bruce Farnsworth, writer, community organizer, founder and director of the MTS Gallery in Anchorage (2005-2011) and member of the art group Light Brigade Kor4.

Dr. Chamard's presentation was titled “Conflict Over Public Space: Responses to Chronic Public Inebriates in Anchorage.”

The goal of the “The Urban in Alaska” conference and workshop was to bring scholars and community members together to engage in dialogue about current research on Anchorage as an urban space.  The conference was sponsored by the UAA Department of Health Sciences and the UAA Center for Community Engagement and Learning. The conference was free and open to the public.

Click here for the full podcast.

Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center Fact Sheet on assaults against police noted in media reports

The most recent issue of the  Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC) Fact Sheet series, "Assaults Committed Against Alaska Police Officers, 2002-2011,"  issue number 13-03 was mentioned in media reports related to the recent police shooting:

• APRN - KSKA 91.1: "APD alleges man pointed gun before second deadly shooting of 2013," by Daysha Eaton,  April 8, 2013
• Anchorage Daily News:"Man killed by officers pointed handgun, police say: officers ID'd," by Lisa Demer, April 8, 2013 
• KTUU Channel 2 News:  New UAA Study Shows an Increase of Assaults on Alaska Officers, by Mallory Peebles, April 9, 2013

The Fact Sheet examines data on assaults on Alaska police including rates of assault, percentage of assaults resulting in injury, weapons used in assaults, and officers killed in the line of duty (1960–2011).   Data are drawn from the annual Crime in Alaska report of the Alaska Department of Public Safety.

The AJSAC is housed within the UAA Justice Center and publishes a monthly Fact Sheet addressing various crime and criminal justice topics. Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice faculty, is the AJSAC director.

Dr. Barnes interviewed by KTUU Channel 2 News about risks in police work

Dr. Allan Barnes, Justice Center Acting Director, provided an overview of the risks associated with the work of police officers during a recent interview with Mallory Peebles of KTUU Channel 2 News.

• KTUU Channel 2 News:  New UAA Study Shows an Increase of Assaults on Alaska Officers, by Mallory Peebles, April 9, 2013

Dr. Barnes referenced the current Fact Sheet on "Assaults Committed against Alaska Police Officers, 2002-2011," published by the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC).  The AJSAC is housed in the UAA Justice Center. Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice faculty, is the director.

2013 CAFE-Oh-Wow awards presented at faculty appreciation lunch on April 5

Golden CAFE-Oh-Wow Award

Prof. Deb Periman, Legal Studies Program Coordinator, was among the recipients of a 2013 CAFE-Oh-Wow award for her service to the Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence (CAFE). Prof. Periman has been a Ford Foundation Fellow in the Difficult Dialogues Initiative, and the Alaska Ways of Teaching and Knowing Initiative, and has been involved in numerous other CAFE-sponsored programs. She is currently the faculty facilitator for the Making Learning Visible series, "Jumping into Scholarly Teaching."

The Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence promotes excellence in teaching, service, community engagement, creative activity, and research in an atmosphere of collegiality.

The Center is designed to support faculty at the University of Alaska Anchorage, including its Community Campuses, in order to showcase and promote innovations in teaching and research and advance a community of scholars. CAFE offers a wide spectrum of workshops, forums and assistance to faculty in teaching excellence, research, assessment, civic engagement, classroom success, student retention, and special support for new and adjunct faculty.

Prof. Periman accepts her award.

2013 CAFE-Oh-Wow award recipients with Provost "Bear" Baker. L to r: John Dede, Shawnalee Whitney, Deb Periman,
Provost Baker, Heather Caldwell, Heather Nash.

Justice alum - Justin Voss - highlighted in "I Am UAA" series

Justin and his family at the Alaska WWAMI White Coat Ceremony
in August 2011 at the Alaska Native Heritage Center

Justice Voss, Alaska WWMAI School of Medical Education E'11, B.A. Justice '11, was highlighted recently in the UAA Green & Gold "I AM UAA" series.  Justin knew after high school that he wanted to become a police officer, but he was not old enough to apply.

To pass a few years' time, he landed a job supervising the admitting process at Alaska Regional Hospital emergency room. At age 21, he applied for the police academy, and ultimately served with the Anchorage Police Department for 8 years. In 2006, he decided it was time to go back to school to pursue a degree in Justice.

Things changed for Justin after a highway accident on duty, and he was not able to recover fully enough to stay on as a police officer. While finishing his Justice degree, he took prerequisites for med school, and now is in the WWAMI program.

Justin explains that his justice degree from UAA will help him in his daily interactions as a future physician. “As a physician, I will need to make sound treatment decisions based in science,” he says. “Having a degree related to human interaction, ethics, justice and psychology will allow me to relate to people in an understanding way and address socioeconomic problems that relate to their health care.” For more of Justin's story click here.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month

The 2013 National Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) campaign focuses on healthy sexuality and child sexual abuse prevention.

This April, join the conversation. Start talking about healthy childhood development to prevent child sexual abuse.

Justice Club tours State Crime Lab facility

Far right: Brandi Barnett, a forensic scientist, gives students a tour of the
garage where vehicles are searched.

The Justice Club sponsored a tour of the State Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory on February 27 for members and other interested students. This state of the art facility opened in June 2012. Students had the opportunity to see first-hand the forensic investigation capabilities in Alaska.

The crime lab provides forensic support to all law enforcement agencies in Alaska and provides examinations and expertise in:

• breath alcohol    
• blood alcohol    
• controlled substances   
• firearm/toolmark   
• biological screening    
• DNA    
• latent fingerprints    
• crime scene investigation

L to r: Ailee Wood and Chris Wood examine the blood spatter room where experiments are
done to determine blood spatter patterns.

After the tour, students pose for a group photo in the lobby of the crime lab.
In the background is a"percent for art" installation.

Dr. Chamard presents data from Mat-Su Survey to Mat-Su Assembly and Planning Commission

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, presented information about data collection, survey contents, and the organization of the final report of the annual Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Survey 2012 and Trends 2008–2012: A Sourcebook of Community Attitudes to the joint meeting of the Mat-Su Borough Assembly and Planning Commission on March 26. The report was originally released in January 2013.

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 are used by Borough decision-makers to prioritize projects, improve services, and better plan for the future growth of the Mat-Su Borough.

The 2012 study was conducted by Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, who also was the principal investigator for the 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 Mat-Su Surveys. Heather MacAlpine, Justice B.A. Cum Laude ’12, assisted with data collection, entry, and analysis for the 2011 and 2012 surveys.

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 2012 survey was distributed to 1,965 adult heads-of-household in the Mat-Su Borough in the late summer and fall of 2012; a total of 845 completed surveys were returned, for a response rate of  43%.

This sourcebook presents both the results from the 2012 survey and trends from 2008-2012 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.

Information on past Mat-Su surveys and other community surveys in Alaska is available on the Justice Center website.

Alpha Phi Sigma national criminal justice honor society welcomes 14 new members

L to r: Dr. Marny Rivera, Derek Witte, Samuel Giacalone, Donte Powell, Joshua Johnson, Melinda Guerrissi,
Simona Gerdts, Margaret Spears, Dr. Ryan Fortson, Gaynor Johansen, Kimberly Del Frate, Jessica Lopez,
Dr. Allan Barnes, Joshua Kopp, Cheng Vang.
Not pictured - Dr. Sharon Chamard, Eric Burkett, and Daniel Reinhard.

Fourteen Justice majors were inducted as members of the Alpha Phi Sigma National Criminal Justice Honor Society, Omega Xi Chapter, on Thursday, March 28 at the UAA/APU Consortium Library. Family and friends attended the ceremony, followed by a reception.

To be selected for this honor, each student had to maintain a 3.2 overall cumulative GPA and 3.2 GPA in their Justice major. Alpha Phi Sigma is the only National Criminal Justice Honor Society for Criminal Justice majors. The society recognizes academic excellence of undergraduate and graduate students of criminal justice.


Dr. Ryan Fortson, J.D., faculty advisor, moderated the ceremony. Dr. Marny Rivera, Dr. Sharon Chamard and Dr. Allan Barnes, Justice faculty, also attended.

2013 inductees:

Eric Burkett
Kimberly Del Frate
Simona Gerdts
Samuel Giacalone
Melinda Guerrissi
Gaynor Johansen
Joshua Johnson
Joshua Kopp
Jessica Lopez
Donte Powell
Daniel Reinhard
Margaret Spears
Cheng Vang
Derek Witte

Dr. Chamard discusses conflict over public space at Urban in Alaska conference at UAA

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice Center faculty, was a panelist at the “The Urban in Alaska” conference held at UAA on March 29.  Her presentation was titled “Conflict Over Public Space: Responses to Chronic Public Inebriates in Anchorage.”  The goal of the “The Urban in Alaska” conference and workshop was to bring scholars and community members together to engage in dialogue about current research on Anchorage as an urban space.

The conference was sponsored by the UAA Department of Health Sciences and the UAA Center for Community Engagement and Learning.

Panelists l tor: Dr. Sharon Charmard, Dr. Sheila Selkregg, Klaus Meyer, and Bruce Farnsworth.

Co-panelists with Dr. Chamard for the session, "Architecture, Public Space, and Urban Design," included Klaus Mayer, architect and member of the Alaska Design Forum board of directors; Sheila Selkregg, Ph.D., associate professor of public administration at UAA; and Bruce Farnsworth, writer, community organizer, founder and director of the MTS Gallery in Anchorage (2005-2011) and member of the art group Light Brigade Kor4.

The conference was free and open to the public.

UAA participates in 3rd annual inter-university cyber-symposium on alternative dispute resolution with representatives from around the globe

Video conference screen shot - upper left:  Dr. Gandhi opens the video
conference with a discussion of his grandfather's involvement
in the law and in conflict resolution.

 Dr. Arun Gandhi, a grandson of Mohandas Gandhi,  opened the 3rd Annual UAF Cyber-symposium on Alternative Dispute Resolution via video conference from the University of Salisbury in Maryland. The event was held April 4.

Dr. Gandhi traced his grandfather's involvement in the law and in conflict resolution, including mediation and arbitration, and how the development of Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence and avoidance of conflict grew out of these experiences.

This event was developed and moderated by Prof. Brian Jarrett of the UAF Department of Justice. Representatives of over a dozen universities and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) organizations from around the globe attended via video conference.

Participating universities and organizations included:
University of Alaska Fairbanks
University of Alaska Anchorage
University of Alaska Juneau
University of Hawaii  at Manoa, Honolulu - Matsunaga Peace Institute
University of Hawwii at Manoa, Honolulu - 30 member student delegation from Thailand
University of Puerto Rico School of Law
Yukon College, Whitehorse, Canada
Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
Simon Fraser University, British Columbia
Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
Correctional Service of Canada
Ministry of Justice, Victoria, Canada
Beyond Borders, Anchorage

Kimep University, Kazakhstan, was unable to connect to the video conference, but will be a participant in future programs.

 
Participants discussed restoration justice programs in their areas and the current trends in dispute resolution, including the increasing role of traditional forms of mediation, mediation in prisoner reentry programs and in therapeutic courts, and how arbitration and mediation are developing in Iran under Shariah law. A highlight of the event was a presentation by David Wexler, a nationally recognized expert in therapeutic jurisprudence.

Papers were submitted for the symposium and are available on the cyber-symposium website, and an archived version of the event will uploaded shortly.  For further information, contact Prof. Brian Jarrett, bnjarrett@alaska.edu or  907-474-6790. 

Don't miss tonight's showing of the film "Temple Grandin" - a COH diversity committee student event - how autism led a young woman to become a top scientist in human livestock handling

UAA Students: 

 Join the College of Health Diversity Committee and the Department of Health Sciences for an educational discussion and viewing of the Emmy-award winning film, "Temple Grandin" on Thursday, April 4.

Date: Thursday, April 4
Time:  6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Location: UAA Rasmuson Hall 111
Admission: Free
Free snacks!

The film tells the story of a woman who overcame the limitations associated with autism - and is now an advocate for those with autism, and a top scientist in the humane livestock handling industry. Dr. Grandin is currently Professor of Animal Sciences at Colorado State University and the author of numerous books.

This event is presented as part of the educational programs for students in recognition of  National Public Health Week, April 1-7, 2013. April is also Autism Awareness Month. An autism resources list will be available.


Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Justice faculty, is chair of the COH Diversity Committee.

Tribal Courts in Alaska - final presentation for National Criminal Justice Month - draws nearly 100 people

Tribal Courts panelists l to r: Magistrate Judge Christopher McLain, Alaska Court System; Natalie Landreth,
Native American Rights Fund; Lisa Jaeger, Tanana Chiefs Conference; Prof. Kevin Illingworth, UAF Tribal
Management Program; Walter Monegan, Alaska Native Justice Center, moderator.

"Tribal Courts in Alaska: Past, Present, and Future" was the topic of the final presentation in the 2013 National Criminal Justice Month lecture series on Wednesday, March 27.  A distinguished panel of experts discussed the history of tribal courts and the concept of sovereignty, the organization of and training for tribal courts, jurisdictional issues, and how the Alaska Court System has been engaging with villages along the upper Yukon in the sentencing of misdemeanors.

Panelists included: 

• Walt Monegan, Alaska Native Justice Center CEO/President, Moderator 
• Kevin Illingworth, Tribal Management Program Head and Assistant Professor, Interior-Aleutians Campus, UAF 
• Lisa Jaeger, Tribal Government Specialist, Tanana Chiefs Conference
• Natalie Landreth, Staff Attorney, Native American Rights Fund
• Magistrate Judge Christopher McLain, Alaska Court System

Nearly 100 persons attended the event which was videotaped and podcast. The video and a link to the podcast are below.  Materials for the program, including 2 PowerPoint presentations are available on the Justice Center website.

The program was sponsored by the Justice Center, the Justice Club, and the Pre-Law Society.

Media stories:
KTUU Channel 2 News: “UAA Forum Brings Awareness to Tribal Courts,” Blake Essig, March 27, 2013
KNBA 90.3: “Panel Discusses Alaska Tribal Courts,” Joaqlin Estus, March 28, 2013

Click here to listen to the podcast.

Watch the video:

Prof. Kevin Illingworth explains tribal sovereignty.

At podium: Magistrate Judge Christopher McLain discusses his work in villages along the Upper Yukon.

Center: Lisa Jaeger talks about tribal government in the Tanana Chiefs region.

At podium: Walt Monegan, moderator, opens the program.

At podium: Dr. Allan Barnes, Justice Center Acting Director, begins the q & a session.

Prof. Knudsen discusses employment law issues at campus bookstore event

L to r: Grant Larsen, Alaska Small Business Development Center; Prof. Kristin Knudsen, Justice Center;
Rhonda Gerharz, Alaska Division of Workers' Compensation; and Jeremy Applegate, State of Alaska
Wage and Hour Administration.

Prof. Kristin Knudsen, J.D., Justice faculty, discussed employment law issues for Alaska small businesses at the recent UAA Bookstore "Happenings" lecture series, "The Life of Small Businesses in Alaska: A Look at Employee Relations and Working Conditions."  The event was held Monday, March 18.

Prof. Knudsen focused on a variety of anti-discrimination laws and wrongful discharge. She was among a panel of experts who shared information concerning what people should know about the obligations of small business employers and employees, plus rules governing Workers' Compensation.

Other panelists  included Grant Larsen , Anchorage Business Advisor for the Alaska Small Business Development Center; Jeremy Applegate, Investigator for the State of Alaska Wage and Hour Administration; and Rhonda Gerharz, Chief Investigator of the Special Investigations Unit of the Alaska  Division of Workers' Compensation.