Prof. Brandeis interviewed by KTUU Ch 2 News about recent Alaska Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage rights

Prof. Brandeis (l) talks with KTUU's Nikki Carvajal.

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Legal Studies faculty at the Justice Center, was interviewed by Nikki Carvajal of KTUU Channel 2 News about the recent Alaska Supreme Court decision in Harris v. Millennium Hotel concerning the rights of same-sex partners to survivor benefits.

Click here for a copy of the decision: Harris v. Millennium Hotel

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

Justice Center alum spotlight: Lauren Nelson

Lauren Nelson at the
2014 Empty Bowl Project.

Lauren Nelson, BA Justice '13, has served as the Marketing/Outreach Coordinator for Bean's Cafe in Anchorage since December 2013.  Her focus is volunteer and event coordination, as well as fundraising and marketing.

Lauren is responsible for managing volunteers for fundraising events, the administrative office, and 4 kitchen sites - 365 days per year.  Bean's Cafe is a nonprofit providing food and daytime shelter for those in need.

Dr. Rivera interviewed by KTBY/KYUR TV News about underage drinking in Alaska

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice Center faculty, was interviewed by KTBY/KYUR TV News about underage drinking in Alaska and adults providing alcohol to minors.  Her interview was part of the story, "An adult was charged with a felony after supplying alcohol to minors."

See the video below: "An adult was charged with a felony after supplying alcohol to minors" by Alaska Link News Team. Published online 23 July 2014.

AJSAC researcher Khristy Parker interviewed by ADN about Fact Sheet on burglary in Alaska

Khristy Parker, Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC) researcher, was interviewed by Jerzy Shedlock of the Alaska Dispatch News about the recent AJSAC Fact Sheet, "Burglary in Alaska: 1985-2012." Overall, the number of burglaries reported to law enforcement in Alaska decreased by more than half from 1985-2012.

Read the article -  "Report: Burglary in Alaska down 65 percent since 1985" by Jerzy Shedlock. Online at Alaska Dispatch News, Jul 17, 2014.

Justice Center alum spotlight: Melanie Osborne

Melanie Osborne.

Melanie Osborne, B.A. Justice  '92, was hired this spring as General Counsel for Chugach Alaska Corporation, which represents over 2,500 Eskimo, Aleut, and Indian shareholders. Prior to joining Chugach Alaska, she served as deputy general counsel for NANA Development Corporation. Melanie has 13 years of experience representing Alaska Native tribes and corporations, and volunteers her time with several non-profits including Alaska Legal Services and Breast Cancer Focus. She received her law degree from the University of Washington School of Law.  Melanie was also recently elected treasurer of the UAA Justice Alumni Chapter.  

(Photo copyright Chugach Alaska Corporation.)

AJSAC releases fact sheet — Burglary in Alaska: 1985–2012

The most recent issue of the AJSAC Fact Sheet presents data for 1985–2012 on the property crime of burglary, including burglary rates, time and place of occurrence, and the value of property stolen during burglaries reported to police. 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 Reporting (UCR) program. The fact sheet is by Khristy Parker of the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC).

Research by Dr. Rivera noted in Anchorage Daily News compass piece on the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board

Research by Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice Center faculty, was noted in a July 2 Anchorage Daily News compass piece, "Alaska Commerce commissioner no friend to alcohol enforcement," by Shirley Coté, former director of the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.

Ms. Cote referred to a study by Dr. Rivera and Khristy Parker, Analysis of Strategies Designed to Reduce Sales of Alcohol and Tobacco to Underage Persons: A Preliminary Report.

Dr. Myrstol co-authors article in Community Mental Health Journal on mental health among the homeless

Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice Center faculty and Director of the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center, co-authored an article, "Does Context Matter? Examining the Mental Health Among Homeless People," which was published online in June in the Community Mental Health Journal.

The co-authors are Dr. Kevin Fitzpatrick, Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville; and Elizabeth Miller, Department of Sociology, University of  Oregon, Eugene.

The study examines how place and social capital interact to influence depressive symptomology among the homeless. The research occurred in two very distinct locales in two different states, Birmingham, Alabama (urban) and Northwest Arkansas (suburban/rural). Social capital refers to the social networks and relationships an individual is involved in.

Drs. Chamard and Payne present at international conference on crime prevention and how location impacts crime

L to r: Dr. Troy Payne and Dr. Sharon Chamard at the conference.

Dr. Sharon Chamard and Dr. Troy Payne, Justice Center faculty, presented "A Tale of Two Cities' Attempts to Lower Calls for Service via Civil Remedies"  at the Environmental Criminology and Crime Analysis (ECCA) conference in the Netherlands in June.  The research compared the count of police incidents before and after a notice of excessive police incidents at properties in Anchorage and Green Bay, Wisconsin.


ECCA is an annual, invitation-only symposium attended by an international group of researchers and practitioners engaged in situational crime prevention, crime science, intelligence-led policing, and problem-oriented policing. In 2008, the Justice Center hosted the 17th annual ECCA Symposium on the UAA campus.

Justice Center closing at noon, July 2, and closed July 3 and 4 for holiday

The Justice Center will be closing at noon on Wednesday, July 2, and will be closed Thursday and Friday, July 3 and 4, in observance of Independence Day.

The Justice Center will reopen on Monday, July 7 at 8:00 a.m.

Have a safe and healthy July 4!

Justice major Camilla Hussein-Scott and her daughter are highlighted in UA's Shaping Alaska video

Camilla Hussein-Scott

A video filmed last year featuring UAA Justice major Camilla Hussein-Scott and her daughter Salomé Scott, then a UAA chemistry student, is on the UA Shaping Alaska's Future website. Camilla is an active member of the Pre-Law Society and is the president of the UAA NO MORE Alliance.  Salomé graduated in Spring 2014 and has been accepted to the University of New Mexico Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology Master's/Ph.D. program.

Salomé Scott

See Camilla and Salomé in the video, "A New Family Tradition" on the UA Student Achievement and Attainment page.

The UA website notes, "The Shaping Alaska's Future initiative is UA's commitment to continuous improvement and innovation. The university is working to modernize, streamline and improve the university system by investing in areas of real need and eliminating barriers to student success."