Teens Acting Against Violence (TAAV) program evaluation highlighted in Alaska Dispatch News

Results from the Teens Acting Against Violence (TAAV) program evaluation conducted by the UAA Justice Center in partnership with the Tundra Women's Coalition (TWC) were highlighted in an article in the Alaska Dispatch News recently. 

Khristy Parker, Research Professional with the Justice Center, was a co-author of the evaluation and presented key findings in Bethel on October 23 at the Tundra Women's Coalition in Bethel.  Dr. André Rosay, Director of the UAA Justice Center; Eileen Arnold, Executive Director of TWC; and Michelle DeWitt, former TWC Executive Director, were also co-authors of the evaluation.

Read the full article here:
"Program targeted at helping Bethel teens earns high marks from alumni" by Lisa Demer. Alaska Dispatch News, 25 Oct 2015.

Alumni spotlight: Steve Phimmasone, BA Justice '05

Steve Phimmasone
Photo by Mike Dineen

This week's profile is the third in our series about Justice alums working for the Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) at the McLaughlin Youth Center in Anchorage. This post highlights Steve Phimmasone.

Steve Phimmasone, BA Justice '05, is a Juvenile Probation Officer II with DJJ Anchorage Probation at McLaughlin Youth Center. He always wanted a career in law enforcement and while at UAA got an internship at McLaughlin. He started out as a counselor. Steve is keenly aware that decisions he makes while dealing with kids can impact their lives and help them. The age-crime curve peaks around the age of 18-19 years.  Steve notes that this is a critical period in a young person’s life — “That’s usually when an individual gets married or gets a career or becomes a career criminal.”  But Steve also knows the bottom line is “each individual will succeed or fail because of the decisions they make.”

One of the most challenging things he finds in his work is that there is something new – and often unexpected – every day. While thinking back on his justice education and what courses might help a student today considering a career in justice, Steve says, “The subject of justice falls into every academic department – any field. If someone wants to enter this career, social work, psychology, and sociology classes would help.”

Results from Teens Acting Against Violence (TAAV) evaluation presented in Bethel

Results from the Teens Acting Against Violence (TAAV) program evaluation conducted by the UAA Justice Center in partnership with the Tundra Women's Coalition (TWC) were presented in Bethel on Friday, October 23.

Khristy Parker, Research Professional with the Justice Center, was a co-author of the evaluation and presented key findings in Bethel at the Tundra Women's Coalition office. Dr. André Rosay, Director of the UAA Justice Center; Eileen Arnold, Executive Director of TWC; and Michelle DeWitt, former TWC Executive Director, were also co-authors.

Khristy Parker (l) presents key findings
in Bethel.

Michelle DeWitt spoke about the origins of the TAAV program and the importance of funding a program evaluation, both of which occurred during her tenure as executive director. Eileen Arnold spoke about the organic evolution of TAAV and the shift in the teen population that TAAV serves.

Teens Acting Against Violence (TAAV) is a student-led anti-violence education group that was formed in 1996 by the Tundra Women’s Coalition in Bethel.

The evaluation was two-pronged, focusing on the program effectiveness itself, and the short- and long-term benefits experienced by TAAV alumni over 18 years of age. Participants responded to questions on an online survey.  Overall the results of the evaluation were positive. Click here for the executive summary and key findings.

An event to celebrate the results of the study, as well as TAAV alumni, was held in Bethel on Saturday, October 24, at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center and featured testimonials from TAAV alumni.

Alaska Justice Information Center welcomes new staff

Araceli Valle, Ph.D., and Karin Thomas, M.S., have joined the staff of the Alaska Justice Information Center (AJIC) as Research Professionals.

Dr. Araceli Valle received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Cruz in Developmental Psychology and her M.S. in E.E. Computer Engineering from Stanford University.  She is a former faculty member of the UAF School of Education and, is an adjunct faculty member of the UAA College Preparatory & Developmental Studies Department.

Karin Thomas received her M.S. in Criminology from the University of Pennsylvania and formerly worked for the New Mexico Statistical Analysis Center in the University of New Mexico Institute for Social Research. She has an intermediate proficiency in Russian, and has taught English as a second language (ESL) in Russia.


The Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative in Alaska is being guided by AJIC and the AJIC steering committee made up of representatives from First Alaskans Institute, Alaska Judicial Council, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, Alaska Division of Legislative Finance, Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Alaska Department of Corrections, Alaska Department of Law, Alaska Public Defender Agency, and the Alaska Department of Public Safety. Dr. Brad Myrstol is the director of the Alaska Justice Information Center and director of the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center.

AJIC is jointly funded by the state of Alaska and the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority and housed within the University of Alaska Anchorage Justice Center.

Interested in conducting Justice or other research? Come to the undergraduate student research forum on October 28!

Interested in working with UAA faculty and conducting research? Come to the BUILD EXITO program and learn about undergraduate research opportunities at UAA — with special attention to health-related research.

• Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2015
• Time: 4:00 - 5:15 p.m.
• Place: BMH 116 -  Beatrice McDonald Hall , West Campus
• Who is eligible to apply: Current freshmen with a GPA of at least 2.5 - any major
• Application deadline: Spring 2016

Forum panelists on October 28 include:

• Prof. Ray Ball - History, CAS
• Prof. Stephanie Bauer - Philosophy, CAS
• Prof. Ryan Harrod - Anthropology, CAS
• Prof. Marny Rivera - Justice, COH
• Prof. Don Spalinger - Biology, CAS
• Prof. Diwakar Vadapalli - ISER

For more information contact UAA EXITO project director, Prof. Tracey Burke, 786-6905
uaa_exito@uaa.alaska.edu 

Click here for information on the BUILD EXITO Consortium

Dr. Payne interviewed by Alaska Dispatch News about FBI crime stats for Alaska

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, was interviewed recently by the Alaska Dispatch News about FBI crime statistics for Alaska.  The article reported on changes in crime rates from 2013 to 2014. Dr. Payne noted that "long-term data is more telling," and the bigger question is what 2015 data will tell us as we look at trends in crime rates.

Read the full article here:
"FBI crime stats say murder rate up, rapes down in Alaska in 2014" by Jerzy Shedlock. Alaska Dispatch News, 08 Oct 2015.

Alumni spotlight: Britney Olsen, BA Justice '08

This week's profile is the second in our series about Justice alums working for the Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) at the McLaughlin Youth Center in Anchorage. This post highlights Britney Olsen.

Britney Olsen
Photo by Mike Dineen

Britney Olsen, BA Justice '08, is a Juvenile Justice Officer III on the Transitional Services Unit at McLaughlin Youth Center (MYC). She got interested in criminology in high school, but developed a passion for working in the justice system when she settled on majoring in Justice at UAA. The best part of the job for her is “seeing youth making changes in their lives." And one of the biggest challenges is having enough time and resources with youth after their institutionalization to help support the changes they are trying to live when they return to their community.

Britney would recommend that today’s Justice majors learn Microsoft Excel, and take courses in counseling skills and  any sort of mental health and substance abuse topics. When she is away from work, spending time playing in the Alaska outdoors with her husband and two children is her favorite thing to do.

October is National Youth Justice Awareness Month

President Obama declared October as National Youth Justice Awareness Month. Read the full proclamation which calls for "rededicat[ing] ourselves to preventing youth from entering the juvenile and criminal justice systems and recommit to building a country where all our daughters and sons can grow, flourish, and take our Nation to new and greater heights."

 The U.S. Dept. of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) notes on its website: "This month-long observance is dedicated to preventing youth from entering the juvenile and criminal justice systems and encourages communities to participate in activities and programs that help youth fulfill their greatest potential. The proclamation supports OJJDP's Smart on Juvenile Justice initiative to promote juvenile justice reform and address racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system."

The  Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice  (DJJ) is a Restorative Justice agency. The mission of the Division of Juvenile Justice is to:

• Hold juvenile offenders accountable for their behavior.
• Promote the safety and restoration of victims and communities.
• Assist offenders and their families in developing skills to prevent crime.

Save the date - October 21! The 8th Annual Women in Law Enforcement Recruitment Fair at the UAA Student Union

Are you interested in an exciting career in law enforcement,  but don’t know who to ask, where to start or what to do?

Come to the Recruitment Fair! 

Date:  Wednesday, October 21
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Where:  UAA Student Union, Upper Level  next to the Wells Fargo Sports Complex
Parking: Free
Everyone is welcome to attend.

• Local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies are actively recruiting for female officers.
• Talk with agency representatives about the opportunities and rewards of a career in law enforcement.

Sponsored by:

Women Police of Alaska 

with the support of 

Alaska State Troopers

UAA Career Services Center

Alaska Association of Chiefs of Police 

UAA Justice Center

For more information, contact Danica Bryant, UAA Career Services Center, 786-4513 dmbryant2@uaa.alaska.edu

Dr. Blumenstein publishes article in Partner Abuse journal on intimate partner kidnappings

Dr. Lindsey Blumenstein, Justice faculty, recently published an article in the journal, Partner Abuse.

"Exploratory Study on Intimate Partner Kidnapping: Is This a Prevailing Issue in Intimate Partner Relationships?" by Lindsey Blumenstein.  Partner Abuse, Volume 6, Number 4, 2015.

From the abstract:
The following study is an exploratory analysis of intimate partner kidnapping. This research focuses on kidnappings that occur between adult intimate partners only. The purpose of this research is to identify the prevalence rates and demographic patterns of this type of violence as well as make comparisons between intimate partner kidnapping and nonintimate partner kidnapping and comparisons between intimate partner kidnapping and intimate partner assaults (a more commonly studied form of intimate partner violence). 

Justice Center participates in 2015 Law School Fair at UAA

L to r: Prof. Kristin Knudsen, J.D., Legal Studies faculty; Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator; and
Jeni Lindorfer, Willamette University College of Law, Assistant Director of Admissions.

L ro r: Prof. Pat Kuszler, J.D., Vice Dean, University of
Washington School of Law, and Prof. Deb Periman,J.D.,
UAA Justice Center, Legal Studies Program Coordinator.

The Justice Center joined 19 law schools at the Law School Fair on September 17 at the UAA Student Union.

Representatives from the following law schools and organizations were in attendance to answer questions about  programs, admissions, and a career in law:

• UAA—Justice Center
• UAA—Pre-Law Society

  Law schools:

• Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law
• California Western School of Law
• Golden Gate University School of Law
• Gonzaga School of Law
• Hofstra University Maurice A. Deane School of Law
• Lewis & Clark Law School
• New England Law School of Law
• Seattle University School of Law
• University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law
• University of Denver Sturm College of Law
• University of Idaho College of Law
• University of Montana Alexander Blewett III School of Law
• University of Oregon School of Law
• University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law
• University of Washington School of Law
• University of Wyoming College of Law
• Vermont Law School
• Willamette University College of Law
• William Mitchell College of Law

L to r: UAA Pre-Law Society officers -
Camilla Hussein, president;
Nathel Sims, vice-president;
Jory Knott, treasurer.

Prof. Brandeis publishes article on marijuana law in Alaska Bar Association quarterly - The Bar Rag

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Legal Studies faculty in the Justice Center, published an article in the recent issue of the Alaska Bar Rag, the official publication of the Alaska Bar Association. Prof. Brandeis discusses the current status of marijuana legalization in Alaska, including enforcement issues and criminal investigations reported in the media, analysis of the state's approach to marijuana legalization under the current federal guidance, and the ongoing development of Alaska's regulatory system.

"Marijuana legalization: where the process stands now" by Jason Brandeis. Alaska Bar Rag, Vol. 39, No. 3., July - September 2015.

Copies are available from the Alaska Bar office: 907-272-7469

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. 

Dr. Payne attends reauthorization ceremony for the Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, and a member of the Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force (ACPRTF), joined other ACPRTF members at the September 22 reauthorization ceremony for the task force. The event was held in Mayor Ethan Berkowitz's office.

Since its establishment in 1981, the task force has operated successfully in its role as a liaison between the ethnic minority community and the Anchorage Police Department (APD).  It continues to provide a forum for input and constructive dialogue between Anchorage community members and the APD.

Front row: ACPRTF members - Dr. Troy Payne, Antonio Anderson, Kevin McGee; Mayor Berkowitz;
ACPRTF Chair Rev.William Greene and Vice Chair Pastor Victor Marbury.
Back row: APD Deputy Chief Myron Fanning, newly appointed APD Chief Chris Tolley, Anchorage Equal Rights Commission Director Pam Basler, and Anchorage Equal Rights Commission Intake and Outreach Coordinator Stephanie Horvat.

Alumni spotlight: Michael Heyward, BA Justice '99

In 2010 we began a project to interview Justice alums who were working for the Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) at McLaughlin Youth Center in Anchorage, with the goal of posting a mini-profile on each individual on our Justice Center website.

We posted one profile, then other projects and deadlines intervened. But we are taking another look at this project and will be posting mini-profiles of these Justice alums over the next several weeks. This week we highlight alum Michael Heyward.

Michael Heyward
Photo by Mike Dineen

Michael Heyward, BA Justice '99, is a Juvenile Probation Officer II with DJJ Anchorage Probation and works at McLaughlin Youth Center (MYC). For Michael, the best part of the job involves being part of the process of helping kids and interacting with families. He works with kids who are residents for extended time periods and there are different dynamics among these kids. His biggest challenge is developing individual education plans (IEPs) for each kid – partly because family dynamics vary so much. Beyond that, there is always the issue of limited resources and options.

While a student at UAA, Michael did a project at MYC for a juvenile justice class – the McLaughlin staff person really liked his work and encouraged him to apply at MYC – and Michael did. Michael enjoys anything out of doors, and back in 2010 he especially liked camping and fishing with his kids – both of whom are now grown. He still likes to get out with his kids when they are home.

Dr. Rivera working on youth behavioral health needs assessment led by UAA Center for Human Development

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice Center faculty, is part of a group of UAA researchers led by the Center for Human Development working on a youth behavioral health needs assessment for Anchorage. This project is under the auspices of the Anchorage Collaborative Coalitions.

This spring, the UAA collaborative research team presented the results of the examination of secondary data on behavioral health needs of youth and young adults in Anchorage at a community forum.The team includes researchers from the Center for Human Development, the Justice Center, the Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services, and the Department of Health Sciences

In this next phase, the research team will be working with coalition members to recruit up to 80 youth ages 12-24 years to participate in focus groups. The focus groups will explore youth perspectives on bullying, loneliness, sadness, and hopelessness. The primary data collected from the focus groups will fill identified data gaps.

The Anchorage Collaborative Coalitions will use focus group data to inform the design of a community-based intervention for interrupting youth suicide, determining mental illness risk factors, and fostering well-being, as well as resiliency.

Justice alums attend Green & Gold Gala to raise scholarship funds

L to r: Mary Frances Barnes and spouse Justice Alumni chapter advisor Dr. Allan Barnes, Lupie Gunther, chapter board member
Charles Gunther, Justice alum Reese Dringle Robert, Michael Robert, Justice alums Susan Richmond and Yale Metzger.

L to r: Justice alum Reese Dringle Robert, Justice Alumni chapter board member Melanie Osborne, chapter president Beth Mader,
Justice alums Susan Richmond and Yale Metzger, chapter advisor Dr. Allan Barnes.

Justice Alumni Chapter members attended the 2015 Green and Gold Gala held September 26 to raise funds for student scholarships. The event raised $72,000 in donations and pledges, and additional pledges and matches are still being processed. 

Yale Metzger (BA Justice '87 ) bid on and won "Breakfast with the Chancellor" during the fundraising auction.

L to r: Susan Richmond enjoys a light-hearted moment with
Chancellor Tom Case (standing) and her spouse Yale Metzger.

Membership in the chapter is open to all Justice and Legal Studies alums.  To join, contact Beth Mader, president.

UAA Justice Center faculty & staff recognized for years of service

Front row: Melissa Green and Tuyet Tran.
Back row: Dr. Payne and Prof. Brandeis.

Justice Center faculty and staff were recently recognized by UAA for their years of service:

Melissa Green, Publication Specialist —25 years
Tuyet Tran, Academic Program Specialist—5 years 
Dr. Troy Payne, Justice Center faculty—5 years
Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Legal Studies faculty in the Justice Center—5 years

The Justice Center joins in thanking our faculty and staff for their contributions to the success of the Justice Center mission.

 

 

 

Our vision: Leading Alaska toward a safer, healthier, and more just society.