Prof. Brandeis interviewed by KTOO News 104.3 Public Radio Juneau about the U.S. Supreme Court DOMA decision

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Justice faculty, was interviewed by Heather Bryant of KTOO News 104.3 Public Radio Juneau about the recent  U.S. Supreme Court decisions on same-sex marriage. Prof. Brandeis' comments appear in  "What does the ruling on DOMA, Prop 8 mean for Alaska?" posted online on June 26.

Prof. Brandeis teaches constitutional law and civil liberties courses, and is a frequent speaker on constitutional law issues.

Dr. Rosay returns as Justice Center director on July 1

Dr. André Rosay

Dr. André B. Rosay will resume his position as Director of the UAA Justice Center on July 1.  His appointment as a Visiting Executive Research Fellow with the National Institute of Justice (NIJ; US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs) in Washington D.C. will continue until May 2014.

As a Visiting Executive Research Fellow, Dr. Rosay will continue to support NIJ's program of research on violence against Indian women in tribal communities.  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.

Two Justice Center faculty selected for CAFE curriculum partnership awards

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., and Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice faculty, have been awarded mini-grants by the UAA Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence (CAFE) Library/Embedding Information Literacy into the Curriculum Partnership Program. This project is a partnership with CAFE and the UAA/APU Consortium Library.

Prof. Periman will be working with Prof. Page Brannon, Justice Library Liaison, on revisions to the course "Legal Ethics and the Role of the Legal Paraprofessional."  The revisions will include an emphasis on library-related student research and focus on allowing students to learn, reinforce, and master information literacy skills relevant to the course level.

Dr. Rivera will also be working with Prof. Brannon on revising a course, "Introduction to Research Methods," to include embedding information literacy assignments and activities. 

As part of this partnership program, both Justice faculty members will receive iPad minis to assist with the development of their course revisions. They will also create course guides to be published on the Consortium Library website, document and assess their projects, and make a presentation to UAA faculty about their work in Spring 2014. 

Prof. Brandeis interviewed by Anchorage Press about marijuana-legalization ballot initiative

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D. Justice faculty, was interviewed by Scott Christiansen of the Anchorage Press for an article about the marijuana-legalization ballot initiative. The article, "Pot in Alaska politics," was posted online on June 20, 2013.

Prof. Brandeis's Alaska Law Review article (see below) was one of  the sources for the timeline in "Is that your final answer? Alaska's long strange trip with pot laws" by Scott Christensen posted on the Anchorage Press website on June 20, 2013.

Prof. Brandeis teaches courses on constitutional issues and civil liberties, and is the author of an article published in the December 2012 Alaska Law Review,  "The Continuing Vitality of Ravin v. State: Alaskans Still Have the Right To Possess Marijuana in the Privacy of Their Homes." Prof. Brandeis also maintains a private law practice through which, subsequent to the date of this Anchorage Press article, he provided legal representation in administrative agency proceedings for the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Alaska.

UAA Legal Studies students join in promoting new programs

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D. Legal Studies Program
Coordinator, with the new banner.

Students in the Legal Studies program at the UAA Justice Center are joining in getting the word out about the new options that are available.  Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator, recently unveiled a new banner for use at recruitment fairs, Campus Kickoff, and other student events.

Pictured on the banner are Legal Studies students (l to r): Kristin Speyerer, Jennifer Seeley, Josephine Grande, and Antonio Beckwith.

All of the new Justice Center Legal Studies Program Options have been approved by the American Bar Association (ABA):

• 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

 The Legal Studies Program at UAA and the Paralegal Studies Program at UAF are the only American Bar Association approved programs in Alaska.

Dr. Barnes attends Alaska Native Justice Center 20th anniversary celebration

L to r: Walter Monegan and Gail Schubert present Roy Huhndorf
a plaque in recognition of his many contributions to Alaska
and Alaska Natives statewide.

The Alaska Native Justice Center (ANJC) celebrated its 20th anniversary at a reception on Thursday, May 23, at the Cook Inlet Region, Inc. (CIRI) corporate offices. The ANJC was created in 1993 to address the unmet legal needs of Alaska Natives.

Gail Schubert, ANJC Board of Directors Vice-Chair, opened the event and welcomed the many attendees, including Dr. Allan Barnes, Justice Center Acting Director.  She introduced Walter Monegan, ANJC CEO/President, and together they presented Roy Huhndorf, founder of the ANJC,
with a sculpture in recognition of his many contributions to the Alaska Native community and to the state of Alaska.

Mr. Huhndorf is the Yup'ik Chairman Emeritus of the CIRI Board of Directors.

L to r: Dr. Allan Barnes, Justice Center Acting Director ; Walter Monegan,
ANJC CEO/President; Roy Huhndorf, founder of ANJC; Gail Schubert,
ANJC Board of Directors Vice-Chair.

Prof. Brandeis interviewed by KTOO News 104.3 Public Radio Juneau about pending U.S. Supreme Court decisions on same-sex marriage

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Justice faculty, was interviewed by Heather Bryant of KTOO News 104.3 Public Radio Juneau about the two pending U.S. Supreme Court decisions on same-sex marriage. Prof. Brandeis' comments appear in two online articles: "Still no Supreme Court ruling on DOMA, Prop 8 cases,"  posted June 18, and "Same sex couples in Alaska await Supreme Court decision on DOMA, Prop 8," posted June 19.

Prof. Brandeis teaches constitutional law and civil liberties courses, and is a frequent speaker on constitutional law issues.

Drs. Chamard and Payne to research calls for police service for Anchorage Police Department

Dr. Sharon Chamard and Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, will be assisting the Anchorage Police Department  (APD) by researching calls for police service under Anchorage Municipal Code 8.80. AMC 8.80 authorizes the Municipality to impose a fee for excessive calls for police service during one calendar year to a residential property .

They will be interviewing APD's CAP  (Community Action Police) Team and examining data from APD.

Dr. Barnes interviewed by WGSO 990-AM Radio New Orleans about the death penalty

Dr. Allan Barnes, Justice Center Acting Director, was recently interviewed by WGSO 990-AM Radio New Orleans about the death penalty and the Boston Marathon bombings.

2013 Justice Center annual reception for university and community partners

The Justice Center held its annual reception for university and community partners on May 9, 2013 in the UAA/APU Consortium Library Atrium. The event provided the opportunity to meet and thank the many individuals, agencies, and organizations the Justice Center works with.

See the slideshow below.

Dr. Rosay publishes chapter on evaluating a juvenile reentry program in new book, "Offender Reentry"

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director of Research, has recently had a chapter, "Evaluating a Juvenile Reentry Program: An Elusive Target," published in the book, Offender Reentry: Rethinking Criminology and Criminal Justice, edited by Matthew S. Crow and John Ortiz Smykla. The chapter is co-authored with William H. Barton and G. Roger Jarjoura.

The chapter presents a summary of the evaluation of an attempt to implement the Boys & Girls Clubs of America's TARGETED RE-ENTRY approach, a version of the Intensive Aftercare Program (IAP) model.  Adapted from the final evaluation report, the chapter opens with a brief review of the challenges of juvenile reentry and a description of the IAP and TARGETED RE-ENTRY models. Following a description of the study's process and outcome evaluation methods, a recap of the main findings is presented. The chapter concludes with a summary of lessons learned from the evaluation.

Spring 2013 issue of the Alaska Justice Forum focuses on school discipline

The Spring 2013 issue of the Alaska Justice Forum is devoted primarily to issues related to school discipline and the juvenile justice system, and features three articles on "zero tolerance" policies by Dean Williams, who was the Superintendent of the McLaughlin Youth Center; Carol Comeau, who was the Superintendent of the Anchorage School District; and William Hitchcock, who was the Master of the Anchorage Children’s Court. Background is provided through an examination of recent data on juvenile delinquency and school suspensions and expulsions for Alaska. A fifth article describes StepUp, a diversion program for expelled or long-term suspended students which has operated for the past four years in the Anchorage School District. The issue also includes updates on Alaska Victimization Survey data releases, faculty and staff news, and a memorial to retired Justice Center faculty member Dr. Lawrence C. Trostle, who died in May.

The 12-page issue includes the following articles:

"Juvenile Justice, School Discipline, and Zero Tolerance"

This article introduces a special issue of the Alaska Justice Forum focusing on school discipline in relationship to juvenile justice, particularly on the impact of the "zero tolerance" policies that emerged from the Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994.

"Trends in Juvenile Delinquency, School Suspensions, and Expulsions" by André B. Rosay and Marny Rivera

This article provides a context for a discussion of school discipline issues by examining recent juvenile delinquency data for Alaska and looking at the rates for school suspensions and expulsions. The number of juveniles referred per 10,000 population, rate of referrals, and rate of offenses referred to the Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice have all shown marked declines since 2003, while the rate of suspensions and expulsions reported in 2010–2011 increased strikingly from those reported for prior school years .

"School Discipline and the Zero Tolerance Approach" by Dean Williams

This article explores the expansive breadth of research on the issue of school discipline, especially with regard to the zero tolerance approach to firearms in schools or other student disciplinary infractions. School expulsion and suspension for many years has been endorsed as not only appropriate, but essential to maintain school safety and harmony. Extensive research, from a vast array of sources, has challenged some long-held notions about school discipline and school safety. An accompanying bibliography provides complete citation information and URLs for research cited.

"Does 'Zero Tolerance' Work? Alternatives to Out-of-School Suspension and Expulsion"by Carol Comeau

The policy of zero tolerance, which came out of the federal Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994, mandates out-of-school suspensions for firearms in schools, and has been applied to a number of additional student disciplinary infractions, resulting in increased out-of-school suspensions and expulsions. This article describes the effects of zero tolerance on the Anchorage School District, the efforts of the school district and a number of agencies to address the issue of juvenile crime and school discipline, and the programs that grew out of that collaboration.

"Zero Tolerance and Juvenile Justice: A View from the Bench" by William D. Hitchcock

One of the principal factors that may often precipitate a plunge into the juvenile justice system is the failure to maintain and succeed in school. Today there is growing concern that the policies of many school districts of zero tolerance for firearms in schools or other student disciplinary infractions place many youth out on the street and vulnerable to high risk behavior and delinquency. This article describes the link between educational failure and juvenile crime and the need for the appropriate response to wrongful behavior by youth.

"StepUp: Helping Kids with Discipline Problems Stay in School" by Barbara Armstrong

This article describes StepUp, a diversion program for expelled or long-term suspended high school students developed in 2009 by the Anchorage School District and the Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice. StepUp provides a highly structured voluntary program that includes academics, anger management training, physical activities, and community work service for students who have had serious discipline problems. Over 80 percent of the 101 students in StepUp from 2009 to 2013 have continued their education. The program was expanded in 2011 to include middle school students.

"Juvenile Justice and School Discipline Resources"

A bibliography of publications and other resources on school discipline in relationship to juvenile justice, with an emphasis on the "zero tolerance" policies that emerged from the Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994.

"Update on Alaska Victimization Survey Data Releases"

Summaries of estimates of violence against women in Alaska are available on the Alaska Victimization Survey (AVS) web page. AVS, launched in 2010, is an ongoing effort to gather reliable and valid estimates of intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women in Alaska.

"In Memoriam"

Dr. Lawrence Trostle, a member of the Justice Center faculty from 1990 to 2009, died in May 2013 after an illness. Research publications and papers by Dr. Trostle can be viewed at the Justice Center website.

"Faculty News"

Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice Center faculty and director of the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC), has been promoted to the rank of Associate Professor and awarded tenure.

"Retirement"

Alan McKelvie, Senior Research Associate for the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC), has retired.

"Recent Publications"

Recent publications of UAA Justice Center faculty and staff.

Justice Center participates in planning for UA online repository of institutional scholarship

The Justice Center is a member of  the UA Institutional Repository Review Advisory Board which is reviewing the development of an online site for digital copies of research and scholarship by UA faculty, students, and staff. The goal is to provide free, public access to digital documents. The working title for the site is Scholarship@UA and is currently scheduled to go live in Fall 2013.

UAF, UAA, and UAS are the primary participants in this first phase. Research from other campuses will be added in the future. Stephen Rollins, Dean of the UAA/APU Consortium Library; Rebecca Moorman,  Head of Technical Services, Consortium Library; and Barbara Armstrong, Alaska Justice Forum editor, UAA Justice Center, represent UAA on the board.

Drs. Chamard and Lepage to assist Salvation Army in human trafficking research

Dr. Sharon Chamard and Dr. Cory Lepage, Justice faculty, will be assisting the human trafficking roundtable initiated by The Salvation Army - Alaska Division with research on the level and type of human trafficking in Alaska. The roundtable group includes representatives from victim service providers, law enforcement, and government agencies.

The roundtable is  reviewing the recommendations from the Final Report of the State of Alaska Task Force on the Crimes of Human Trafficking Promoting Prostitution and Sex Trafficking and those from the past NGO Working Group on Sex Trafficking in Alaska.

Drs. Chamard and Rivera to serve on Academic Programs Prioritization Task Force

Dr. Sharon Chamard and Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice faculty, have been recommended by the Faculty Senate’s Executive Board to serve on the Academic Programs Prioritization Task Force.

The task force began initial work in May with a consultant to establish the appropriate criteria to be used in evaluating all of UAA’s programs, and to develop the tools and infrastructure needed for a Fall 2013  launch of the full prioritization process.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day - June 15

Elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation happen to hundreds of thousands of older persons every year. And it is estimated that elders in the U.S. lose over $2 billion annually due to financial abuse and exploitation - money that could have been used to pay for their basic needs.

Yet only about 1 in 5 elder abuse crimes are ever discovered. Who are the victims? They are found in every demographic. Elder abuse can happen to anyone—a family member, a neighbor, a friend.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) was launched on June 15, 2006 by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations. The goal is to promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons by raising awareness of the cultural, social, economic, and demographic processes involved.

WEAAD supports of the United Nations International Plan of Action acknowledging the significance of elder abuse as a public health and human rights issue.

The National Center on Elder Abuse website has resources and publications on elder abuse.

Justice faculty present at Law and Society Conference in Boston

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., and Dr. Cory Lepage presented at the 2013 Law and Society Conference in Boston in May 30 - June 2.  Dr. Lepage discussed "The Future of Justice Courts" and the continuing need for justice of the peace and magistrate courts. His presentation focused on research on courts in the state of New York.

Prof. Brandeis discussed "Marijuana, Privacy, and the Alaska Constitution: The Continuing Validity of Ravin v. State" for the session on Controversies in American Constitutional Law.

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 also chaired two session on international courts, and he presented a book review on Workplace Resolution by Elizabeth Hoffman, University of Pennsylvania.

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.