5th annual UAF international cyberconference on dispute resolution set for April 15

UAF will host their 5th annual International Cyberconference on Dispute Resolution in April 2015. UAA is an annual participating member.

A call for papers for the Alaska Journal of Dispute Resolution is issued in conjunction with the invitation to the cyberconference. Dr. Cory R. Lepage, Justice faculty, and Barbara Armstrong, editor, Alaska Justice Forum, a research publication of the Justice Center, serve on the editorial board of the journal.

Videoconference date: Wednesday,  April 15, 2015
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. (ADT)
Videoconference connection: Contract Jerry Farnam at UAF 2 weeks in advance to confirm a video connection.   Email ua-video@alaska.edu
UAA videoconference site: UAA Administration Bldg., Room 201
Parking at UAA: Look for kiosks in parking lots to pay for visitor parking.
Map

Approved for continuing legal education (CLE) credit by the Alaska Bar Association: 2.5 general credits

See conference website for agenda details.

The theme is Inter-Cultural Conflict Resolution. The sessions include:

• Therapeutic Jurisprudence and Inter-Cultural Conflict Resolution
• The Causes and Consequences of Inter-Cultural Conflict and the Value of Restorative Practices
• Circle Peace-Making, Indigenous Knowledge, and Dispute Resolution

Contact Prof. Brian Jarrett, Director, UAF Program on Dispute Resolution, Peace-building, & Restorative Practices for further information and to submit papers in APA format at  bnjarrett@alaska.edu

New look for Justice Center landing page with info for current, former, and future students

The Justice Center website landing page with information for current, former, and future students has a brand new look!  The new design includes an Events & Deadlines Calendar for easy reference, and links to DegreeWorks and Blackboard.

Grant awarded to Dr. Lepage and Dr. Blumenstein to conduct survey about attitudes in Alaska toward sexual assault and domestic violence

Dr. Cory R. Lepage and Dr. Lindsey Blumenstein, Justice faculty, were recently awarded a grant by the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA) to conduct a statewide survey to obtain valid and reliable estimates of knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about sexual assault and domestic violence.

This Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs (KAB) Survey will be sent to adult men and women in Alaska. Surveys are in the process of being mailed out, and respondents will also have the option of filling out the survey online. A final report on the data collected from the survey will be submitted to CDVSA later this spring. 

Prof. Periman and Dr. Payne meet with residence hall students at Dining with the Deans event in Gorsuch Commons

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator in the Justice Center; and Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty and Director of the Crime Mapping Center,  joined other deans, directors, and administrators at a special "Dining with the Deans" event for residence hall students on March 18 in the Gorsuch Commons.

"Dining with the Deans" was sponsored by the UAA Department of Residence Life, and was designed to be casual and to encourage building a positive connection between students and administrators. Ryan Hill, North Hall & First-Year Experience Residence Coordinator for the Department of Residence Life, noted that many research articles discuss the power of connecting students to faculty and administrators.  He reported that feedback from students about the March 18 event was overwhelmingly positive and seems to underscore those research findings. 

Students in Dr. Barnes' Justice Intro classes hear from Alaska State Trooper recruiter Sgt. Luis Nieves

Dr. Barnes (on far right) stands next to Sgt.Nieves as he talks to students
following the formal class presentation.

Dr. Allan Barnes, Justice Center faculty, invited Alaska State Trooper recruiter, Sgt. Luis Nieves, to speak to his JUST 110 Intro to Justice classes on March 18 and 19 about careers in law enforcement.  Sgt. Nieves is the recruiter for all of the law enforcement entities under the Alaska Department of Public Safety.

Sgt. Nieves discussed his background and experience with the Troopers, and  encouraged students to think about entering a career that would allow them to be part of the solution to community problems.  He outlined the benefits and challenges of law enforcement and noted, "We aren't looking for saints - we are looking for honest people." He also highlighted the need to keep a balance in one's life, especially when working in law enforcement. At the end of class, students had an additional opportunity to ask questions of Sgt. Nieves.

Prof. Brandeis hosts law careers panel for Intro to Law class

Prof. Brandeis, far right, introduces the panel: (l to r) Emily Fehrenbacher,
Heather MacAlpine, Leslie Need, and Carly Ashby.

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Legal Studies faculty in the Justice Center, organized a law careers panel - Working in the Legal Profession -  for his LEGL 101 Introduction to Law classes on March 18.  Local attorneys, paralegals, and other professionals who work in politics and government were invited to present information on entering the legal profession, required academic credentials, tips for applying for jobs, what their particular positions entail, and critical skills needed for a successful legal career.  Students then participated in a lively q & a session with the panelists.

Students listen to descriptions of the variety of  jobs available in the legal profession.

Panelists included Carly Ashby, Paralegal, Nyquist Law Group; Leslie Need, Associate Attorney, Landye Bennett Blumstein LLP; Heather MacAlpine, Assistant Ombudsman, Municipality of Anchorage; and Emily Fehrenbacher, Political Consultant/Community Organizer.

Heather MacAlpine is a Justice Center alum.

Justice major Daniel Reinhard presents paper at 2015 Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences

Daniel Reinhard, a senior and Justice major, presented a paper at the recent Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences annual conference in March.  His presentation, "Observations of Crime and Disorder at an Urban Park," is related to the research he has been doing with Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, in collaboration with the Anchorage Police Department and the Anchorage Downtown Partnership.

Daniel Reinhard observed activities in the park over a number
of days and during different time periods.

The paper reports on criminal and delinquent behavior as observed in Town Square Park - a downtown urban park in Anchorage, Alaska. Town Square Park is source of local controversy and has attracted the attention of the local police department and the Anchorage Downtown Partnership, an organization charged with providing services to the downtown district of Anchorage. In response to these agencies having a lack of recorded data on what occurs in the park Daniel conducted observations in the park. This research notes observed park activities, hypothesizes the park's role as a crime attractor and lists physical characteristics of the park that may facilitate criminality.

Dr. Blumenstein presents paper co-authored with Dr. Rivera at Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences conference

Dr. Lindsey Blumenstein and Dr. Mary Rivera, Justice Center faculty,  recently co-authored the paper, "IPV and Negative Health Outcomes Using the Alaska Victimization Survey." Dr. Blumenstein presented this paper at the March 2015 Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences annual conference. 

In this paper, the authors note that the literature on intimate partner violence and health outcomes has found significant associations between negative health outcomes and IPV victimization. However, there is a lack of research on how specific types of abuse may affect physical and mental health. In particular the effects of psychological aggression and coercive controlling violence remain understudied. This study attempts to assess the impact of several different types of abuse, including psychological aggression, coercive control and entrapment, and physical and sexual violence on physical and mental health outcomes. The data for the study relies on the Alaska Victimization Survey.

The paper was part of the track on Emerging Research in Domestic Violence.

Justice Center closed Friday, March 13, for spring break holiday

The Justice Center will be closed Friday, March 13, 2015 for spring break holiday. We will re-open on Monday, March 16 at 8:00 a.m.

Recent Alaska Victimization Survey data featured in article in The Nome Nugget

Alaska Victimization Survey (AVS) data from the recently released estimates for the Nome Census Area are featured in an article in The Nome Nugget. The survey was conducted by the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA) and the UAA Justice Center.

Read the article here:
"Survey sheds light on sexual violence against women" by Diana Haecker. The Nome Nugget, 5 March 2015.

Alaska Victimization Survey estimates for the Nome Census Area were also featured in the following media reports:

•  "The Arctic This Week February 16–22, 2015," Feb 25, 2015 — The Arctic Institute, Center for Circumpolar Security Studies
• "We can't deal with Alaska's violence until we recognize it, " opinion piece, Feb 24, 2015 — Alaska Dispatch News
• "Survey finds widespread violence against women in Alaska," Feb 21, 2015 — Institute of American Studies (Tehran, Iran)
• "Violence against women widespread in Western Alaska region," Feb 20, 2015 — High North News (Bodø, Norway)
• "New survey finds widespread violence against women in western Alaska region," Feb 20, 2015 — The Tribune (Seymour, IN)
• "Survey finds widespread violence against women in Alaska," Feb 20, 2015 — Moulton Advertiser (AL)
• "Survey finds widespread violence against Nome-area women," Feb 20, 2015 — Fort Mill Times (SC)
• "Survey finds widespread violence against Nome-area women," Feb 20, 2015 — York and Clover Enquirer Herald (SC)
• "New survey finds widespread violence against women in western Alaska region," Feb 20, 2015 — Times-Post (Pendleton, IN)
• "New survey finds widespread violence against women in western Alaska region," Feb 20, 2015 — Greenfield Reporter (Greenfield, IN)
• "New survey finds widespread violence against women in western Alaska region," Feb 20, 2015 — Daily Journal (Franklin, IN)
• "Survey finds widespread violence against Nome-area women," Feb 20, 2015 — Peninsula Clarion
• "Survey finds widespread violence against women in Alaska," Feb 20, 2015 — KINY Radio 800-AM (Juneau)
• "Survey finds widespread violence against Nome-area women," Feb 20, 2015 — Juneau Empire
• "Survey finds widespread violence against women in Alaska," Feb 20, 2015 — Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
• "Survey finds violence against women widespread in Western Alaska region," Feb 19, 2015 — Alaska Dispatch News

Details of the survey are available at: http://justice.uaa.alaska.edu/avs/nome.html.

• Summary document
• PowerPoint presentation

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

Drs. Chamard and Rivera participate in Northern Voices on Homelessness forum

In this still clip from KTVA, Dr. Chamard (far left) and Dr. Rivera
(2nd from left facing camera) listen to the discussion at the event.

Dr. Sharon Chamard and Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice Center faculty, participated in the Northern Voices on Homelessness forum at the Loussac Library on March 7.  They were among the experts in homelessness research, policy, advocacy, and services, and those who were currently homeless or had been homeless in the past, who gathered with the public to discuss possible solutions.

The event was sponsored by the UAA Department of Anthropology and the UAA Department of Health Sciences, and was shared live through the Alaska state libraries OWL system.

Dr. Allen Ault speaks about his "40 Years in Corrections" for National Criminal Justice Month

Dr. Ault stresses a point during his presentation.

About 75 UAA students, faculty, and members of the public gathered on March 2 to hear  Dr. Allen Ault, Dean of the College of Justice & Safety at Eastern Kentucky University, share his 40 years of experience in corrections. Dr. Ault discussed the "War on Drugs" and the rapid rise in incarceration rates in the U.S., the disproportionate number of minority individuals who are incarcerated, the shift in corrections as rehabilitative to punitive, the rising number of inmates with mental health concerns, and the issue of capital punishment.

This event was sponsored by the Justice Center, the Pre-Law Society, and the Justice Club as part of National Criminal Justice Month. Dr. Troy Payne and Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., are the Justice Center faculty advisors for this event. Our thanks to Rich Curtner, an adjunct faculty member at the Justice Center, and Alaskans Against the Death Penalty for bringing Dr. Ault to Alaska and making possible Dr. Ault’s presentation at this event.

A podcast and Dr. Ault's Powerpoint presentation are on the Justice Center website.

Media mention

• "Ex-Dept. Of Justice Official to Alaska Students: We Can Do Better" by John Aronno. Alaska Commons, 3 Mar 2015.

L to r: Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D.; Dr. Troy Payne; Dr. Allen Ault;
Camilla Hussein, Pre-Law Society President; Rich Curtner, Adjunct Faculty,
and Chair, Alaskans Against the Death Penalty

Dr. Payne interviewed for article in online zine Boing Boing about police identification procedures

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, was recently interviewed for an article in the online zine Boing Boing about police identification procedures and whether or not police are required to produce identification when asked. 

The interviewer wrote:  "Payne says that despite the seeming 'benign' nature of the requirement to respond to a request for ID or display it, there's no path to make it mandatory. It's not a constitutional issue, he notes, and the federal government has no basis on which it can demand thousands of agencies meet any specific guidelines."

Read the article:
"Think you have the right to have police identify themselves? Look closer." by Glenn Fleishman. Boing Boing, 25 Feb 2015.  (This article includes the Anchorage Police Department policy.)

UAA Prof. Ongtooguk presents guest lecture to Prof. Fortson's Tribal Courts and Alaska Native Rights class

UAA Prof. Paul Ongtooguk

Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D. , Ph.D., Legal Studies faculty in the Justice Center, recently invited Prof. Paul Ongtooguk, Director of the Center for Research and Alaska Native Education (CRANE) in the UAA College of Education, to speak to his "Tribal Courts and Alaska Native Rights" class.

Prof. Ongtooguk discussed Alaska Natives' perception of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), land rights, and ANCSA corporations and their impact on Alaska politics.

Prof. Brandeis interviewed by Alaska Dispatch News about new marijuana law and the "Ravin Doctrine"

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Legal Studies faculty in the Justice Center, was interviewed for an article in the Alaska Dispatch News about the new marijuana law in Alaska.  The article quotes extensively from Prof. Brandeis' Alaska Law Review article,  "The Continuing Vitality of Ravin v. State: Alaskans Still Have a Constitutional Right to Possess Marijuana in the Privacy of Their Homes,"  published in the December 2012 issue of the Alaska Law Review.

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 he provided legal representation in administrative agency proceedings for the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Alaska. 

Read the article
"Why does Alaska count 6 pot plants per household, not per person?" by Scott Woodham. Alaska Dispatch News, 26 Feb 2015.

Dr. Payne publishes article in Security Journal about charging property owners fees for excessive police calls for service to their property

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, recently published an article in the advance online version of Security Journal.

"Reducing excessive police incidents: Do notices to owners work?" by Dr. Troy Payne. Security Journal advance online publication 16 February 2015; doi: 10.1057/sj.2015.2

This study examines the impact on the count of police incidents of a notice of potential future fees or fines to property owners in Anchorage, Alaska and Green Bay, Wisconsin. It was found that police incidents are reduced by 24–28 per cent after a notice of potential fines, with two-thirds of properties experiencing a decline in police incidents post-notice. The implications for policy and practice are discussed.

Security Journal publishes the latest developments and techniques in security management and is a resource for security researchers and professionals. 

Dr. Myrstol invited to join the Justice Research and Policy Editorial Board as Associate Editor

Dr. Brad Myrstol, Director of the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC), was recently invited to join the Justice Research and Policy Editorial Board as an Associate Editor.

Justice Research and Policy is a publication of the Justice Research and Statistics Association (JRSA). It is a semiannual, peer-reviewed journal which publishes policy-oriented research on a wide range of topics, with a particular focus on criminal and juvenile justice policies and practices relevant to state and local government.

The AJSAC is housed in the Justice Center.