Dr. Myrstol appointed to College of Health Peer Review Committee

Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice faculty and Director of the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center, has been appointed to the College of Health (COH) Peer Review Committee.  This committee reviews retention, promotion, and tenure files of COH faculty.

UAA welcomes Color of Justice - Alaska 2013 College and Career Program

 

Foreground: Volunteer attorney Lynda Limón talk to students about the practice of law.

 Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Justice Center faculty, was one of a group of volunteer Alaska lawyers and judges who met with college students during the "Color of Justice - Alaska 2013 College and Career Program" at UAA on September 19. The event provided students the opportunity to talk with diverse Alaska lawyers and judges and learn about the steps to a successful and rewarding career in law. Judge Pamela Washington, Alaska District Court Judge and first African-American woman appointed to the bench in Alaska, welcomed students and volunteer lawyers and judges to the program.

Prof. Periman introduced Alaska Supreme Court Justice Joel Bolger who addressed the group on the importance of a diverse judiciary. The program included speed mentoring rounds and refreshments. Students heard presentations from law school deans and admissions directors and had the opportunity to engage in a question and answer forum about the law school admissions process. Volunteer mentors for the MentorJet: A Speed-Mentoring Experience included Alaska Supreme Court Justice Joel Bolger, and attorneys Peter Boskofsky, Kirsten Kinegak-Friday, Mathiew Le, Lynda Limón, and Herman Walker.

The program is part of the Color of Justice - Alaska project sponsored by the National Association of Women Judges and a variety of legal organizations.  The goal of these programs is to foster diversity in the legal profession and judiciary.

Judge Pamela Washington welcomes students
to the program.

Alaska Supreme Court Justice Joel Bolger discusses the need for
diversity in the judiciary.

Volunteer attorney Peter Boskofsky tell students about his work as in-house counsel
with Afognak Native Corporation/Alutiiq, LLC.

Right: Volunteer attorney Kirsten Kinegak-Friday answers
questions from a student.

Volunteer mentor attorneys Herman Walker (far left), Lynda Limón (far right) and Peter Boskofsky (back)
talk with students about law school and the practice of law.

Right: Mathiew Le, Assistant Dean of Admissions & Financial Aid
at University of Washington School of Law, and a student during
the MentorJet session.

A panel of deans and admissions directors answers questions during the q & a session.
L to r: Stephen Easton, University of Wyoming College of Law; Whitney Earles, Seattle University School of Law;
Mathiew Le, University of Washington School of Law; and Susan Lee, Gonzaga University School of Law.

Prof. Deb Periman (l) and attendees applaud the organizing efforts by
Margaret Newman (r), of the Alaska Court System.

Prof. Brandeis presents at Alaska Bar Association continuing legal education program on constitutional issues

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Justice faculty, will be a panelist at the October 1 Alaska Bar Association continuing legal education (CLE) program, "Out of the Closet and Into Your Office." 

He will be addressing constitutional issues related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) clients. The program covers serving LGBT clients and their specific needs and concerns related to finance, family law, immigration and other topics.

Taking the LSAT? Join the Pre-Law Society LSAT Study Group every Monday at 7 pm at the UAA Library

Taking the LSAT?

Members of the Pre-Law Society LSAT Study Group will be meeting at 7:00 p.m. every Monday, starting September 9, in the UAA Library in LIB 207B.

Email Anna Marquez, Pre-Law Society president, for more information or call the Justice Center at 786-1810.

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D. and Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D., are the faculty advisors for the Pre-Law Society.

Dr. Myrstol appointed to UAA Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice faculty and Director of the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC) has been appointed to the UAA Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

The UAA Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) was established by the Chancellor and is charged with oversight of all animal use at the University of Alaska Anchorage. The primary purpose of this committee is to ensure compliance with national policies protecting the welfare of laboratory and field research animals.

Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center releases Fact Sheet on DUI/DWI Arrests in Alaska: 2000–2011

The August 2013 issue of the AJSAC Fact Sheet presents data on driving under the influence (DUI) and driving while intoxicated (DWI) arrests made by Alaska police agencies for the period 2000 through 2011. The report describes overall rates of arrest for DUI/DWI during the 12-year period, as well as DUI/DWI arrest rates by major law enforcement agency, by sex, and by race. Data is drawn from the annual Crime in Alaska report of the Alaska Department of Public Safety, which represents the State of Alaska's contribution to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) program. The Fact Sheet is by Dr. Brad A. Myrstol, director of the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC).

Thinking of applying to law school? Don't miss these events this week at UAA!

 

 The following events are free and open to all students interested in applying for law school or in entering a career in law or the judiciary!

Thursday, Sep 19, 2013
Law Schools Fair
Representatives from over 20 law schools will be on hand to answer questions.
Date: Thursday, Sep 19
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Location: UAA Student Union

Admission/Financial Aid Panel
A panel question and answer session with law school office of admissions staff
Carolyn Denis, Asst. Dean for Admission, Willamette University College of Law; Lori Freeman, Director of Admissions & Career Services, University of Montana School of Law; Reyes Aguilar, Assoc. Dean of Admissions & Financial Aid, University of Utah School of Law
Date: Thursday, Sep 19
Time: 2:45 p.m. - 3:30 p.m..
Location: UAA Student Union, Lyla Richards Conference Room

Fall 2013 Color of Justice for College Students
Presentations by law school professors and admissions directors &
Mentor-Jet: A Speed Mentoring Experience with Alaska Supreme Court Justice Joel Bolger
Date: Thursday, Sep 19
Time: 3:45 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.
Location: UAA/APU Consortium Library, LIB 307

Friday, Sep 20, 2013
Pre-Law Students Event
“Succeeding in Law School Admissions:
How to Write an Effective Personal Statement &
Address Problem Areas in Your Law School Application”
Carolyn Denis, Director of Admissions
Willamette University College of Law
Date: Friday, Sep 20
Time: 9:00 a.m. -10:00 a.m.
Location: UAA/APU Consortium Library, LIB 207B


Questions? Contact Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Justice Center Legal Studies Program Coordinator
dkperiman@uaa.alaska.edu
Or call the Justice Center at 786-1810.

Justice faculty go to the fair!

Justice faculty attended the Alaska State Fair in Palmer on Monday, September 2, to talk about the Justice and Legal Studies programs available at UAA.  They set up the Justice Center exhibit in the log cabin and welcomed people in from the rain!

Dr. Allan Barnes; Prof. Deb Periman, J.D.; Dr. Sharon Chamard; Prof. Ryan Forston, J.D.; and Prof. Kristin Knudsen, J.D. represented the Justice Center at the event.

L to r: Dr. Barnes and Dr. Chamard.

L to r: Prof. Periman, J.D., and Dr. Chamard show the new Justice Club table cover.

L to r: Prof. Knudsen, J.D., and Dr. Chamard take a moment to enjoy the rocking chairs that come with the log cabin.

Dr. Barnes meets with students at North Hall First-Year Experience Faculty Social

L to r: Dr. Allan Barnes and Dr. John Kennish,
Chemistry Department, at North Hall event.

Dr. Allan Barnes, Justice faculty, and about a dozen other UAA faculty members met with first-year students recently at the North Hall "First-Year Experience Faculty Social."

The social gave first-year students living on campus the opportunity to engage with faculty members teaching 100-level courses in the fall semester that are part of the general education requirements (GERs) for the university.

The event also gave faculty the chance to see the classroom in North Hall that can be scheduled for courses. The classroom has iPads for 15 students and is equipped with "smart technology."

Ryan Hill, North Hall & First-Year Experience Residence Coordinator, organized this event  in response to research that shows students who are able to connect with faculty early in their education experience tend to stay in college and have higher GPAs at graduation.

Pre-Law Society study group today for the James Madison Cup

Want to participate in a fun competition that tests your knowledge of the U.S. Constitution?

Study Group: The Pre-Law Society is meeting on Friday, Sep. 13 at 1:00 p.m. in Library Conference Room 207B to study for this! Come join us!

The James Madison Cup is sponsored by the UAA Department of Political Science.

Dr. Barnes interviewed for Anchorage Daily News article on dispute between Troopers and a renter over damages

 Dr. Allan Barnes, Justice faculty, was interviewed by the Associated Press for an Anchorage Daily News article, "Troopers, renter fight over Soldotna standoff damages," published online September 8.

He was asked to comment on what happens when police destroy property in the process of making an arrest and who is liable for the damages.

UA statewide online institutional repository for faculty, staff and student research goes live - ScholarWorks@UA

ScholarWorks@UA, the statewide online institutional repository for digital copies of research and scholarship by faculty, staff, and students, is now live. This website provides free, public access to digital documents. UAF, UAA, and UAS are the primary participants in this first phase, and research from other campuses will be added in the future.

Currently, only UAF has content on the site; UAA will be adding content next month. Click here for ScholarWorks@ UA https://scholarworks.alaska.edu/

The Justice Center is a member of  the UA Institutional Repository Review Advisory Board which reviewed the development of the site.  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. Dean Rollins is leading the effort at UAA to place UAA content on the website, and will be working with Rebecca Moorman; Professor Kate Gordon, Institutional Repository Librarian at UAA; and Barbara Armstrong.

Justice Center faculty welcome the class of 2013 at Campus Kickoff!

The  2013 Campus Kickoff on Saturday, August 24 was a great success with  - no rain! - and tons of booths, food, and activities!  Dr. André Rosay; Prof. Deb Periman, J.D.; Dr. Brad Myrstol; Dr. Sharon Chamard; Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D.; Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D.; and Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, were on hand to talk to current and prospective Justice and Legal Studies students and their parents.  See photos below.

L to r: Prof. Jason Brandeis and Prof. Ryan Fortson welcome students to the Justice Center booth.

 

L to r: Dr. Sharon Chamard and Dr. Brad Myrstol chat with students after the convocation.

L to r: Prof. Deb Periman and Dr. André Rosay at the Justice Center booth.

Justice Center blogging on new UAA 2013 Back-to-Campus blog

The Justice Center is joining other UAA departments, students, and staff in posting to a new "UAA 2013 Back-to-Campus" blog that will be up for 3-weeks at the start of this academic year.

The new blog is coordinated by Kathleen McCoy in Advancement and is celebrating the start of the school year and 25 years of The Northern Light student newspaper.  Check it out!

Taking the LSAT? Join the Pre-Law Society LSAT Study Group on September 9 at the UAA Library

Taking the LSAT?  Members of the Pre-Law Society LSAT Study Group will be meeting at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, September 9 in the UAA Library.

The group will be using one of the study rooms. Email Anna Marquez, Pre-Law Society president, or call the Justice Center at 786-1810, for location.

Thinking about law school? Come to the law school fair at UAA on September 19!

If you are interesting in attending law school, be sure to come to the 2013 Alaska Law School Fair!

Date: Thursday, September 19
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Place: UAA Student Union, Upper Level

Schools in attendance:
Golden Gate University School of Law
Gonzaga University School of Law
Lewis & Clark Law School
New England Law Boston
Northeastern University School of Law
Notre Dame School of Law
Penn State Law
Roger Williams University School of Law
Seattle University School of Law
Thomas Jefferson School of Law
University of Idaho College of Law
University of Montana School of Law
University of Oregon School of Law
University of St. Thomas School of Law
University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law
University of Utah S.J. Quinney School of Law
University of Washington School of Law
Vermont Law School
Western New England University School of Law
Whittier Law School
Willamette University College of Law
William Mitchell College of Law

For more information, contact Whitney Earles, Director of Outreach & Communication, Seattle University School of Law wearles@seattleu.edu

Dr. Myrstol and Dr. Wood interviewed for Alaska Dispatch article on "Alaska's failed war on booze"

Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice faculty and director of the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center, and Dr. Darryl Wood, Justice affiliate faculty, Washington State University Vancouver, were interviewed for the Alaska Dispatch article by Craig Medred, "Perils of Prohibition: Alaska's failed war on booze," posted online on September 4.

Dr. Myrstol discussed his research on "The Alcohol-Related Workload of Patrol Officers" which examined police perceptions of time-spent on alcohol-related incidents and actual time spent on those incidents.  Dr. Wood described his studies on on alcohol prohibitions in rural Alaska and their outcomes, and noted that there was not a long enough follow-up period on the alcohol interdiction project which he studied to determine if it had had an effect.

Both faculty members point out that other factors, not just alcohol, need to be examined when researching the problems in rural areas of Alaska.

Research by Dr. Myrstol and Dr. Wood on the issue of alcohol includes:

Drug and Alcohol-Related Workload of Anchorage Patrol Officers: Results From Two Patrol Officer Surveys by Brad A. Myrstol, N. E. Schafer, and Matthew J. Giblin (2003).
The Police Alcohol-Related Services Study (PASS): A Study of the Intersection of Public Alcohol Use and Routine Police Patrol by Brad A. Myrstol and Robert H. Langworthy (2004).
Police Alcohol-Related Services Study (PASS), Phase II: A Description of the Beliefs, Perceptions and Attitudes of Anchorage Police Department Employees by Brad A. Myrstol and Robert H. Langworthy (2005).
"Measures of Outcomes Associated With Alcohol Abuse in Alaska" by Darryl S. Wood, Alaska Justice Forum 21(1) (Spring 2004).
"Local Alcohol Prohibition, Police Presence and Serious Injury in Isolated Alaska Native Villages" By Darryl S. Wood and Paul J. Gruenewald, Addiction 101: 393-403 (Mar 2006). (Contact Dr. Wood for a copy of the report - darrylwood@vancouver.wsu.edu)
Evaluation of the Rural Alaska Alcohol Interdiction, Investigation, and Prosecution Program by Michael Shively, Darryl Wood,  Lauren Olsho, William Rhodes, and Meg Chapman (2009).

Hey, how much do you know about the Constitution? Meet with the Pre-Law Society to study for the James Madison Cup!

Want to participate in a fun competition that tests your knowledge of the U.S. Constitution?

What: James Madison Cup
Date: Tues, Sep. 17, 2013
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Place: UAA/APU Consortium Library, LIB 307

Study Group: The Pre-Law Society is meeting on Friday, Sep. 13 at 1:00 p.m. in Library Conference Room 207B to study for this! Come join us!

The James Madison Cup is sponsored by the UAA Department of Political Science.

Prof. Fortson talks to Anchorage School District social studies teachers about how the Alaska Youth Law Guide can help students

Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D., Justice faculty, recently spoke to Anchorage School District social studies teachers about the online resource, the Alaska Youth Law Guide: A Handbook for Teens and Young Adults.

At a faculty inservice , Prof. Fortson discussed how the guide can help Alaska youth understand legal issues and navigate the justice system.

The guide is a web project of the Alaska Bar Association Law Related Education (LRE) Committee, and 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.

Chief Judge Ralph Beistline of U.S. District Court speaks about the constitution and jury trials September 16 at UAA

"The Constitution, Jury Trials and Me: Reflections from the Bench" is the title of an upcoming presentation by Chief Judge Ralph R. Beistline, U.S. District Court for the State of Alaska. He will be discussing his perspective on the sixth and seventh amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Date: Monday, Sept. 16
Time:  7:30-9:00 p.m.
Location: UAA/APU Consortium Library, Room 307

Chief Judge Beistline has been a member of the judiciary for over 20 years: 10 years as an Alaska Superior Court Judge, and 11 years as a federal judge. He has also served as president of the Alaska Bar Association, a member of the association Board of Governors, and is an editor of its newspaper, the Alaska Bar Rag.

This presentation is sponsored by UAA’s Department of Political Science. For more information, contact Guy Burnett at gfburnett@uaa.alaska.edu or (907) 786-4774.

Justice faculty present at new faculty orientation for fall 2013

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., and Dr. Cory R. Lepage, Justice faculty, made presentations at the August 13 New Faculty Orientation sponsored by the Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence (CAFE).


Prof. Periman and Dr. Randy Magen, School of Social Work, discussed "Making Learning Visible (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning)."

Far right: Dr. Magen, and Prof. Periman (left of Dr. Magen) presenting
at a "Making Learning Visible" workshop at UAA.

Dr. Lepage co-presented with Dr. Caroline Wilson, WWAMI School of Medical Education, and Prof. Shawnalee Whitney, Communication & Discourse Studies, on "Team-Based Learning."

The key elements of Team-Based Learning (TBL).

Interested in a career in law or the judiciary? Come to the Color of Justice - Alaska event September 19!

The "Color of Justice - Alaska" program for students interested in a career in the law and the judiciary is presented by the National Association of Women Judges, the Alaska Bar Association, the Alaska Court System, Pacific Northwest law schools, and other sponsors.

Date: Thursday, September 19
Time: 3:45 p.m. - 6:45 p.m.
Location: UAA/APU Consortium Library,
                 Room 307
Refreshments!

The event is free and  includes presentations by law school professors and admissions officers, and a "Speed-Mentoring Experience" with Alaska judges and lawyers, including Alaska Supreme Court Justice Joel Bolger.

For more information, contact Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., UAA Justice Center, dkperiman@uaa.alaska.edu.

Dr. Myrstol interviewed by Alaska Dispatch about grant for Alaska sexual assault & domestic violence case processing project

Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice faculty and Director of the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC), was interviewed by Jerzy Shedlock of the Alaska Dispatch about the recent $79,000 grant award to the AJSAC.  The article, "Re-examining Alaska Domestic Violence Crime and Punishment," appeared online August 21, 2013.

The grant funds will be used to support a new AJSAC research initiative called the Alaska Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Case Processing Project, a collaborative project with the Alaska Department of Public Safety, the Alaska Department of Law, and the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Juvenile Justice.

The primary objective of the project is to empirically document the criminal justice case processing and outcomes of sexual assault, sexual abuse of a minor, and domestic violence cases in the state of Alaska. In coming years, Dr. Myrstol intends to expand the project to include additional Alaska police agencies.

A portion of the grant award will also go toward the continued participation of the AJSAC in the nationwide Arrest-related Deaths (ARD) data collection project, which is a component of the larger Bureau of Justice Statistics Deaths in Custody Reporting Program (DCRP).

The AJSAC is housed at the UAA Justice Center. For more information about AJSAC research projects and publications, please visit the AJSAC website.