UAA Campus and Justice Center closed July 4 and 5 in honor of Independence Day

The Justice Center will be closed Monday and Tuesday, July 4 and 5, in observance of Independence Day.

The Justice Center will reopen on Wednesday, July 6 at 8:00 a.m.

Have a safe and healthy July 4!

Prof. Fortson teaches at Alaska Summer Trial Institute

Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D., Legal Studies faculty in the Justice Center, recently taught at the University of Wyoming College of Law Alaska Summer Trial Institute held on the UAA campus.  The program ran from May 28 - June 10.

Prof. Fortson participated in a trial simulation with Anchorage Superior Court Judge Herman Walker and in a motion practice simulation with faculty from the University of Wyoming.

Dr. Rosay publishes article in National Institute of Justice Journal

Dr. Andre´ Rosay's article titled "Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Men"  was published in Issue No. 277 of the National Institute of Justice Journal. The article summarizes key findings on violence against American Indians and Alaska Natives and discusses the Department of Justice’s legal duty and moral obligation to address violent crime against American Indian and Alaska Native people.

Click here to read the article by Dr. Rosay: "Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Men."

The NIJ Journal, published several times a year, features articles to help criminal justice policymakers and practitioners stay informed about new developments. It presents research-based information that can help inform policy decisions and improve understanding of the criminal justice system.  

Alaska Justice Information Center issues first report on Alaska Results First Initiative

Dr. Brad Myrstol (standing center), AJiC Director, welcomed the group.
Dr. Araceli Valle (far right at podium), AJiC Research Professional, presented
data from the report.

The Alaska Justice Information Center (AJiC) recently presented its first progress report and initial findings describing work on the Alaska Results First Initiative to the AJiC Steering Committee. The steering committee was formed to provide the AJiC Director with ongoing input and guidance, and to facilitate the work of AJiC. The AJiC Steering Committee comprises key criminal justice policymakers and stakeholders, including state government and tribal entity representatives.

This first report describes the development of an inventory of adult criminal justice programs in Alaska  - both prison- and community-based, and the process to determine each program's level of effectiveness. 

Dr. Myrstol, (standing), AJiC Director, and Sarah Galgano,
Pew Results First Technical Assistance Team, discussed how
recidivism data are collected and analyzed.

AJiC will next be working with the Pew-MacArthur Results First benefit-cost model which calculates the monetary benefits of an adult criminal justice program based on its expected effect on recidivism. Baseline cohorts have been identified and will be studied during a 7-year follow-up period to analyze recidivism rates.

The Pew-Mac Arthur Results First Initiative technical team  provides assistance to AJiC, and team members also attended and presented information  to the steering committee.  In spring 2015, Alaska became the 19th jurisdiction to partner with the Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative, a joint effort of The Pew Charitable Trusts and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The goal of this initiative is to encourage states to be good stewards of public monies by developing policies and investing in program that rigorous research has shown to be effective.

Questions about renting in Alaska? A new short online video series with 2 attorneys -- Prof. Fortson, Justice faculty, and Daniel Coons, AK Legal Services, may have the answers

The Justice Center and Alaska Legal Services Corporation have partnered to create a video series to help answer often-asked questions about landlord tenant law in Alaska.

The videos are free online and aimed at members of the public, and organizations that assist people with landlord tenant questions.

These short videos – each about 5 minutes long  – cover the following topics:

*Introduction (2:45 mins.)
*Moving In (3:42 mins.)
*Paying Rent (4:28 mins.)
*Leasing and Subleasing (4:09 mins.)
*Apartment Rules (4:36 mins.)
*Landlord Responsibilities and Repairs (5:19 mins.)
*Moving Out (5:12 mins.)
*Reasons for Eviction (5:31 mins.)
*Eviction Process (5:57 mins.)
*Housing Discrimination (4:36 mins.)
*Public & Subsidized Housing (4:54 mins.)

Please share this link to the video series with anyone who may have questions, or who assists those who have questions, about renting in Alaska.


The series was created by Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D., Ph.D., UAA Justice Center, in cooperation with Daniel Coons, J.D., Alaska Legal Services Corporation, and produced and edited by Eric Baldwin, UAA Academic Innovations and eLearning.

Dr. Rosay participates in Research for the Real World seminar at the National Institute of Justice with the Office of the Vice President, Office for Victims of Crime, and Office on Violence Against Women - attend live online!

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center director, will present the findings from his recent research report on violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women and men on June 23 for the "Research for the Real World" seminar at the National Institute of Justice in Washington, D.C.

He will then participate in a moderated discussion with Carrie Bettinger-Lopez, J.D., Advisor on Violence Against Women, Office of the Vice President; Joye Frost, Director, Office for Victims of Crime; and Dr. Bea Hanson, Principal Deputy Director, Office on Violence Against Women.  The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Nancy Rodriguez, Director, National Institute of Justice.

Register here to attend the seminar live online.
6:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. ADT
Thursday, June 23, 2016 

Note: This event will be videotaped.  Watch for a blog post when the link for the video is available.

Read Dr. Rosay's research report here.

Dr. Rosay presents at congressional briefing on his NIJ report on violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women and men

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, was one of the panelists giving a June 16 briefing to the U.S. Congress about the recent National Institute of Justice (NIJ) report: "Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Men: 2010 Findings from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey." Dr. Rosay is the author of the report.

Senator Lisa Murkowski commented on the importance of the report.  Other presenters included Terri Henry (Co-Chair, National Congress of American Indians Task Force on Violence Against Women; Board Chair, Indian Law Resource Center; Former Chairwoman, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), Virginia Davis (Staff attorney, National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)), Theresa Sheldon, Councilwoman (Tulalip Tribes of WA), Deborah Parker (Former Vice-Chair, Tulalip Tribes of WA), and Cherrah Giles (Board President, National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center).

 Click here for Dr. Rosay's PowerPoint presentation at the briefing.

A video of the briefing will be available at a later date.  Watch the blog for details.

Key findings from the report:
More than 4 in 5 American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced violence in their lifetime. This includes:
      *56.1% who have experienced sexual violence, and
      *55.5% who have experienced physical violence by an intimate partner.
Among American Indian and Alaska Native victims, 90% of women and 85% of men have experienced sexual violence by an interracial intimate partner perpetrator.
 
The briefing was coordinated by the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center (NIWRC), the Indian Law Resource Center, and the National Congress of American Indians.

Group photo after the briefing l to r: Theresa Sheldon, Councilwoman, Tulalip Tribes; Cherrah Giles, NIWRC Board Chair; Deborah Parker, NIWRC Board Member; Leanne Guy, NIWRC Board Secretary; Wendy Schlater, NIWRC Board Treasurer; Carmen O’Leary, NIWRC Board Vice Chair; and Dr. André B. Rosay, Director, UAA Justice Center.

Prof. Fortson moderates panel at Alaska Conference on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D., Legal Studies faculty in the Justice Center, was a panel moderator at the 2016 Alaska Conference on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault held May 9.

Prof. Fortson moderated the panel, "Collaborating with Tribal Courts in Alaska." Panelists included Lisa Jaeger, Tribal Government Specialist, Tanana Chiefs Conference; Capt. Jeff Laughlin, Acting Deputy Director, Alaska State Troopers; and John Skidmore, Criminal Division Director, Alaska Department of Law.  

The event was offered by the Alaska Department of Public Safety and the Alaska Department of Law in collaboration with the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, and Standing Together Against Rape.

Missed the May 18 webinar with Dr. Rosay? Watch the archived program with Dr. Rosay discussing violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women and men

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, was the featured presenter for the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center (NIWRC) webinar that aired on May 18.


Click here to watch the archived copy of the webinar:
"Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Men: 2010 Findings from the National Intimate Partner And Sexual Violence Survey." 

Dr. Rosay discusses his research as a Visiting Executive Research Fellow at the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).  The webinar examines the prevalence of violence experienced by American Indian and Alaska Native women and men, using a large nationally representative sample. It provides estimates of sexual violence, physical violence by intimate partners, stalking, and psychological aggression by intimate partners. It also provides estimates of interracial and intraracial victimizations and briefly examines the impact of violence. The webinar focuses on survey results, which are expected to raise awareness and understanding about violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women and men.

Prof. Periman Participated in 2016 Tech Fellow Intensive through UAA Academic Innovations and eLearning

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator in the Justice Center, recently participated in the Academic Innovations and eLearning 2016 Technology Fellows faculty intensive. She was one of 9 faculty designated as a 2016 Technology Fellow.

This year marks the first time the annual Tech Fellows program has partnered with CAFÉ’s Making Learning Visible initiative to support faculty in a two-year project involving technological innovation and the scholarship of teaching and learning.

The tech fellows will design and/or redesign an online course based on their training from Academic Innovations and eLearning.  Over the new two years the faculty members will study the impact of the change on student learning, and will publish their findings in UAA’s Making Learning Visible ePortfolio Community.  Professors Deb Periman and Elizabeth Predeger are the faculty facilitators for UAA’s Making Learning Visible Initiative.

Paper by Prof. Payne and Prof. Fortson presented by Prof. Fortson at Law and Society meeting

Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D., Ph.D., and Prof. Troy C. Payne, Ph.D., Justice Center faculty, recently co-authored a paper which Prof. Fortson presented at the 2016 Law and Society Association Annual Meeting. 

The paper is titled, "The Effect of Legal Counsel on Outcomes of Custody Determinations." The paper discusses results from the study of child custody cases in family law court in Palmer, Alaska involving represented and unrepresented parties.

The Law and Society Association is an interdisciplinary scholarly organization committed to social scientific, interpretive, and historical analyses of  law across multiple social contexts.

AJSAC Fact Sheet released - Sexual misconduct and sexual assault committed against University of Alaska students

The most recent issue of the AJSAC Fact Sheet — "Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Assault Against University of Alaska Students" — presents past year estimates of sexual misconduct and sexual assault victimization against University of Alaska (UA) students. The estimates are based on 1,982 survey responses to the University of Alaska Campus Climate Survey, an online survey that collected data from a random sample of undergraduate and graduate students who were enrolled at UA during spring semester 2016.

The University of Alaska Campus Climate Survey was designed to establish baseline estimates of sexual misconduct and sexual assault committed in the preceding year — both on and off campus — against students enrolled at UA during the spring semester 2016. This survey was modeled after the Campus Climate Survey Recommendations prepared by the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault.  These data can be utilized by the University of Alaska to impact and evaluate prevention efforts and education programs for UA students.

Alaska Justice Information Center steering committee meets June 9 on UAA campus

The Alaska Justice Information Center (AJiC) steering committee meets on Thursday, June 9, from 9:00 a.m. - 12 noon in the UAA/APU Consortium Library, LIB 307.  Dr. Brad Myrstol is the AJiC director.

Prof. Periman receives the Alaska Bar Association Distinguished Service Award

L to r: Alaska Bar President Nelson Page
presents the Distinguished Service Award
to Prof. Periman at the Bar Convention.

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator in the Justice Center, was presented the Alaska Bar Association Distinguished Service Award at the 2016 Annual Bar Convention in Anchorage in May.

The Alaska Bar Distinguished Service Award honors an attorney for outstanding service to the membership of the Alaska Bar Association.  Professor Periman was recognized for her many contributions to the legal community including her work on the Alaska Bar Law Related Education (LRE)  and Historians Committees, and her chairing the LRE drafting subcommittee for the Alaska Youth Law Guide. The award is also in recognition of her creation of new UAA curriculum to better serve students interested in careers in the legal field and the intersection with public service, and all her efforts to expand opportunities for the next generation of lawyers and the people who work with them.