Dr. Blumenstein invited to be panelist at October 7 Alaska Quarterly Review dramatic reading of essay on campus rape and its aftermath

Dr. Lindsey Blumenstein, Justice faculty, has been invited to be a panelist at the October 7 Alaska Quarterly Review (AQR) dramatic reading of an essay about campus rape and its aftermath. The essay, "White Horse," is by Eliese Goldbach. Ms. Goldbach is a writer who lives and works in Cleveland, Ohio.

Following the reading, panelists will provide scholarly, legal, advocacy, and artistic perspectives on the essay.  This event is free.

What: AQR dramatic reading of "White Horse"
Where: Anchorage Museum, 625 C Street
When: Friday, October 7 - 7:00 p.m

Dr. Blumenstein researches campus sexual assault and violence against women and is a frequent speaker on these issues.

Justice Center co-sponsors Oct 14 conference on Alaska Native Law issues and Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act

"Adapting for the Next Generation:  The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) at 45 and 32d Annual Alaska Native Law Conference" will be presented on Friday, October 14 at the UAA/APU Consortium Library. The event is co-sponsored by the UAA Justice Center, the Alaska Law Review, and the Alaska Native Law Section of the Alaska Bar Association.

Date: Friday, October 14
Time: 8:30 - 4:45 p.m.
Place: UAA/APU Consortium Library, LIB 307
Parking: Free parking on Fridays.
Registration: Free

The keynote speaker is Raina Thiele, former Associate Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement for the White House.

This free day-long symposium is geared for lawyers,  members of the judiciary, employees and leaders of Alaska Native corporations, representatives of Alaska Native organizations, state government officials, and UAA students, faculty, and staff. The Alaska Law Review will be publishing an issue at a later date with the articles prepared for this symposium.

This event has been approved for 6.25 MCLE credits (including 1 ethics credit) by the Alaska Bar Association. 

Topics include:

• ANCSA and the Future of Tribal Jurisdiction in Alaska
• Challenges and Opportunities for Alaska Native Corporations
• Federal and State Legislative Updates
• Case Law Updates
• Protection of the Attorney-Client Privilege in the Joint Representation of Parent Companies and their Subsidiaries (approved for 1 MCLE ethics credit)

Prof. Ryan Forston, J.D., Ph.D., is the Justice Center faculty coordinator for this event. Questions? Call 907-786-1810 or email uaa_justice@uaa.alaska.edu.

Justice Center co-hosts CCEL Think Tank on October 4 with the Alaska Innocence Project

The Justice Center is co-hosting the October 4 Center for Community Engagement & Learning (CCEL) Think Tank: "Does society owe anything to the wrongfully convicted?"  The Alaska Innocence Project (AIP) presents this issue to attendees, and the discussion will be co-led by Bill Oberly, AIP Executive Director, and Judy Owens-Manley, CCEL Director.

October 4 is International Wrongful Conviction Day. Students, faculty, staff, and community members are invited to this UAA event.

What: CCEL Think Tank - "Does society owe anything to the wrongfully convicted"
When: Tuesday, October 4, 1:00 - 2:15 p.m.
Where: UAA/APU Consortium Library, LIB 307
Parking: Free parking in the Library Lot only. Please allow extra time to park. Click here for a campus map.
See details on Facebook
Pizza is provided by Moose's Tooth.

Think Tanks are a monthly community engagement experience in which a nonprofit agency presents a challenge or issue and attendees brainstorm solutions for the organization.  Students, faculty, staff and community members are invited to attend and assist this organization by contributing thoughts and ideas to the discussion.

Pre-Law Society co-sponsors Oct 5 UAA Campus bookstore event - book launch of Pieces of Me: Rescuing My Kidnapped Daughters

The Pre-Law Society is a co-sponsor of the October 5 UAA Campus Bookstore event - the book launch of Alaskan author Lizbeth Meredith's memoir, Pieces of Me: Rescuing My Kidnapped Daughters.  Ms. Meredith recounts her story of surviving intimate partner violence and her struggles to rescue her abducted daughters.

What: Book launch of Lisbeth Meredith's Pieces of Me: Rescuing My Kidnapped Daughters
Where: UAA Campus Bookstore
When: Wednesday, October 5 - 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Parking: Free parking in the West Campus Central Lot, Sports Northwest Lot, South Lot, and the Sports Lot. Click here for a campus map.

Elsie Boudreau, a social worker, will join Ms. Meredith to lead a discussion about domestic violence, the unintended consequences of leaving an abuse relationship, and the important role of a caring community.

Other event sponsors include Abused Women's Aid in Crisis (AWAIC), Green Dot Alaska, Victims for Justice, YWCA Alaska, and the Alaska Humanities Forum.  This event is free and open to students, faculty, staff, and community members.

New webpage look and new web addresses for the Justice Center, Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center, and Alaska Justice Information Center

The Justice Center, the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC), and the Alaska Justice Information Center (AJIC), have new web addresses and a new look to their web pages as part of the new UAA website redesign.

 
Click below and see our new web pages! 
   

 Justice Center - www.uaa.alaska.edu/justice

  

Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center - www.uaa.alaska.edu/ajsac

 

Alaska Justice Information Center - www.uaa.alaska.edu/ajic

Prof. Brandeis interviewed by KTVA Channel 11 News about lawsuit over PFD cut

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Legal Studies faculty in the Justice Center, was recently interviewed by KTVA Channel 11 News about a lawsuit in response to the cut in the permanent fund dividend (PFD).  The PFD checks are due out in early October.

As reported in the interview, Professor Brandeis noted that it was unlikely that the case would be resolved before checks are to be distributed next month.

Watch the story here
"State senator to file lawsuit Friday over PFD cut" by Liz Raines. KTVA Channel 11 News. 15 Sep 2016.

Spring 2016 of the Alaska Justice Forum released

The Spring 2016 issue of the Alaska Justice Forum includes articles focusing on University of Alaska students' disclosures of sexual misconduct and sexual assault victimizations; a summary of the provisions of the criminal justice reform measure Senate Bill 91 "Omnibus Criminal Law & Procedure; Corrections" enacted into law in July 2016 ; and findings from a survey of Anchorage adults on perceptions of youth marijuana use and youth non-medical use of prescription drugs.

"University of Alaska Students’ Disclosures of Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Assault Victimizations" by Brad A. Myrstol and Lindsey Blumenstein

This article uses data collected for the University of Alaska Campus Climate Survey to explore how often University of Alaska (UA) students who experienced sexual misconduct or sexual assault, either on or off campus, disclosed their victimizations to others. The likelihood of victimization disclosure in relation to the type of victimization, the persons or institutions to whom disclosure was made, and the demographic characteristics of UA student victims are also examined.

"Senate Bill 91: Summary of Policy Reforms"

This article highlights provisions of Senate Bill 91, "Omnibus Criminal Law & Procedure; Corrections Act," related to the recommendations of the Alaska Criminal Justice Commission. SB91 was signed into law on July 11, 2016.

"Youth Marijuana and Prescription Drug Abuse in Anchorage"
by Marny Rivera and Cory R. Lepage

This article examines results of the Adult Perceptions of Anchorage Youth: 2015 Survey (APAYS) to examine perceptions and concerns of Anchorage adults, both parents and non-parents, about youth marijuana use and youth non-medical use of prescription drugs. A resource list is included.

"New Staff"

Elaine Main has joined the staff of the Justice Center as an Academic Program Specialist.

"New Look and Web Addresses for the Justice Center"

The Justice Center, the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC), and the Alaska Justice Information Center (AJIC), have new web addresses and a new look to their web pages as part of the new UAA website redesign.

Justice major and his teammate advance to final round in the James Madison Cup

L to r: Students Jacob Shercliffe and Sam Erickson, Political Science Department
Professors James Muller and Forrest Nabors, guest judge Claremont McKenna
College Professor James Nichols,and students William Jodwalis and Austin Otos.
Photo courtesy of the UAA Political Science Department website.

Justice major, Austin Otos, and Political Science major, William Jodwalis, recently participated as a team in the 2016 James Madison Cup. During this annual competition held by the UAA Department of Political Science, students are quizzed about their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution. The competition is open to any UAA student, regardless of major.

Questions vary in difficulty and points are doubled if the answering team can name the article and section the answer would be found in. Of 6 participating teams, 2 advanced to the final round: Otos and Jodwalis, and Finance major Sam Erickson and  Political Science & Economics major Jacob Shercliffe.  Shercliffe and Erickson won the final round.

This year's judges were Professors James Muller and Forrest Nabors of the UAA Political Science Department, along with guest judge Prof. James Nichols of Claremont McKenna College.

Read more about the James Madison Cup competition here.

Justice and Paralegal Studies Alumni Update: Hunt and Foxglove

Joel Hunt, BA Justice '05, has successfully defended his Ph. D. dissertation in the Department of Justice, Law & Criminology in the School of Public Affairs at American University.  His dissertation was titled "Do Crime Hot Spots Move? Exploring the Effects of the Modifiable Areal Unit Problem and Modifiable Temporal Unit Problem on Crime Hot Spot Stability."

Joel graduated from the University of Alaska Anchorage with a Bachelor of Arts in Justice degree with Research Honors, and minors in Mathematics and Computer Science.  He is a Computer Scientist in the Research Division of the Office of Science and Technology at the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.

Josie Foxglove, Paralegal Studies Certificate '13, is a Deputy Clerk with the Coordinated Resources Project (Mental Health Court) in the Anchorage office of the Alaska Court System, a position she has held since spring 2015. Josie works as the project assistant and is responsible for much of the behind-the-scenes work which includes preparing court documents, scheduling, and data entry.

The Mental Health Court is a problem-solving court that works with Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority (AMHTA) beneficiaries who have mental disabilities and are charged with criminal offenses.  The goal of this voluntary court is to assist individuals in treatment and rehabilitation.

Prof. Brandeis presents on complying with federal and state marijuana laws at CannaCon conference

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D, was a speaker at the CannaCon conference held September 10 in Anchorage. His presentation, "Compliance with State and Federal Marijuana Laws: Navigating the Legal Landscape," provided attendees with an overview of the current federal and state marijuana laws - with a focus on Alaska - and information about potential future marijuana law and policy changes.

Prof. Brandeis teaches courses on the American legal system, constitutional law, and civil liberties, and is a frequent speaker on constitutional law and other legal topics.  Prof. Brandeis also maintains a private law practice through which he advises clients on marijuana law and policy questions.  This law practice preceded this presentation, and included providing legal services to the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Alaska.

Dr. Rivera presents at "Shatter the Myth": Town Hall on Underage Drinking in Anchorage

 L to r: Zara Smelcer, Volunteers of America Alaska;
Beth Schuerman and Sylvia Craig, Alaska Injury Prevention Center (AIPC);
and Dr. Marny Rivera, UAA Justice Center, at the program.

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice faculty, was a panelist at the "Shatter the Myth": Town Hall Underage Drinking Presentation at the Fairview Community Recreation Center on September 6. She discussed data on underage drinking in Anchorage.

Other panelists included Zara Smelcer, Volunteers of America Alaska; Beth Schuerman, Alaska Injury Prevention Center (AIPC) Projects Director; Sylvia Craig, AIPC Projects Coordinator. This event was sponsored by Healthy Voices Healthy Choices/Volunteers of America Alaska.

Dr. Barnes participates in Annual North Hall Faculty Social event for UAA residential students

l to r: Jennifer Edens, North Hall FYRE Coordinator;
Stephen "Joey" Sweet, North Hall student; and Dr. Allan Barnes,
pause for a photo at the event.

Dr. Allan Barnes, Justice faculty, joined several of his UAA colleagues for the North Hall First-Year Residential Experience (FYRE) Faculty Social on September 6.  The event is held each fall to help students make connections with various faculty who teach general education requirement (GER) courses and with college administrators. Dr. Barnes was one of the faculty members recommended by resident hall student staff to participate in the social.

Research has shown faculty/student interactions outside of the classroom greatly aid in student success, and that students who are able to connect with faculty early in their education experience tend to stay in college and have higher GPAs at graduation. Nearly 200 first-year students live in North Hall on the UAA campus.  The event was facilitated by Jennifer Edens, UAA North Hall First-Year Experience Residence Coordinator.

Justice Center faculty and staff attend College of Health All-College Meeting

Dean Hogan (center at podium) welcomes all the COH units.

The College of Health (COH) All-College Meeting was held August 25 in the Cuddy Center to welcome faculty and staff for the new academic year.

Chancellor Tom Case addressed the group and thanked the College of Health for their teaching and research efforts, and praised the level of excellence in the college.

Dean Bill Hogan addresses the COH All-College Meeting.

Dean Bill Hogan presented information on COH programs and budget, outlined some of the major accreditation efforts over the past and coming academic year, and welcomed new COH units and new faculty and staff.  The dean recognized individuals who had been awarded promotion or had received longevity awards for service. He also acknowledged retiring faculty and staff.

From the Justice Center, Dr. André B. Rosay, Justice Center Director, was recognized on his promotion to full professor, and Dr. Cory R. Lepage, Justice faculty, was recognized for 5 years of service to UAA.

Justice Center faculty and staff listen to the Dean's reports.

The event included a workshop on "The Missing Piece in Interprofessional Education (IPE) Teaching: Facilitation Skills With and Across Professions," and a presentation on "Mindfulness."

COH departments also set up exhibit tables to display recent research and programs.

Exhibits by COH units at the All-College Meeting.

At the Justice Center exhibit, (l to r) Prof. Kristin Knudsen, J.D., Legal Studies
Undergraduate Program Coordinator, and Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice Undergraduate
Program Coordinator.

Professors Rivera and Knudsen present at College of Health Howl Days Frosh Orientation

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice Undergraduate Program Coordinator, and Prof. Kristin Knudsen, J.D., M.J.S., Legal Studies Undergraduate Program Coordinator, presented at the Fall 2016 Howl Days College of Health (COH) freshman orientation on Tuesday, August 23.

They described the academic programs offered by the Justice Center, Justice student organizations, and career opportunities.

L to r standing: Dr. Marny Rivera and Prof. Kristin Knudsen, discuss the
various Justice and Legal Studies courses offered by the Justice Center.

Thinking about law school? Don't miss the law school fair on Thursday, September 15, at the UAA Student Union!

What: Law School Fair
Date: Thursday, September 15, 2016
Time: 11:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.
Place: UAA Student Union

Additional program: 
Admissions panel discussion with law school representatives
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Lyla Richards Conference Room, ground floor of the Student Union.

Natasha Richmond, J.D., M.S.W., Assistant Director of Admissions, Lewis & Clark Law School, is coordinating this event. If you have any questions, please call 1-800-303-4860 or (503) 768-6613, or email lawadmss@lclark.edu
 
Do drop by!  If you know for sure you are attending, please RSVP by clicking here. 

The UAA Pre-Law Society will also have a table at this event.

Representatives from these schools will be at the law school fair:
Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana
Arizona State University - Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law
Chapman University Fowler School of Law
Concordia University School of Law
Golden Gate University School of Law
Gonzaga University School of Law
Indiana Tech Law School
Lewis & Clark Law School
Loyola Chicago School of Law
Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University
McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific
Mitchell  | Hamline School of Law
New England Law | Boston
Northeastern University School of Law
Quinnipiac University School of Law
Roger Williams University School of Law
Seattle University School of Law
University of California, Irvine School of Law
University of Colorado Law School
University of Idaho College of Law
University of Minnesota Law School
University of Nevada, Las Vegas - Boyd School of Law
University of Oregon School of Law
University of St. Thomas School of Law Minneapolis
University of Washington School of Law
University of Wyoming College of Law
Vermont Law School
Western New England University School of Law
Whittier Law School
Willamette University School of Law

Dr. Rosay presents at National Native American Law Enforcement Association conference in August

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, was a guest speaker at the 24th Annual National Native American Law Enforcement Association (NNALEA) National Collaborative Training Event in Las Vegas in August.

Dr. Rosay's presentation on "Violence against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Men" was based on his recently published National Institute of Justice  (NIJ) research report, Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Men: 2010 Findings from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey.

The NNALEA is a nonprofit organization founded in 1993 in Washington, D.C. The mission of the NNALEA is to promote and foster mutual cooperation among American Indian law enforcement officers/agents/personnel and their agencies, tribes, private industry, and the public.

Alaska Victimization Survey results for Municipality of Anchorage show decline in intimate partner violence since 2010

Chancellor Tom Case (at podium) opens the press conference and thanks
the UAA Justice Center researchers and victims' services advocates.

The results of the 2015 Alaska Victimization Survey for the Municipality of Anchorage were released on August 26 at a press conference at the University of Alaska Anchorage. The 2015 survey was conducted by the University of Alaska Anchorage Justice Center for the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault  (CDVSA) and shows a decline in intimate partner and sexual violence in Anchorage since 2010. Ms. Lauree Morton, CDVSA Executive Director, and Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, presented the findings. 

Ms. Lauree Morton, CDVSA, (at podium) discusses the background of the survey. L to r: Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center; Ms. Mara Kimmel, First Lady of Anchorage; Ms. Keeley Olson, Standing Together Against Rape;
Ms. Suzi Pearson, Abused Women's Aid in Crisis; and Dr. Lindsey Blumenstein, Justice Center.

Results:
The 2015 Alaska Victimization Survey for the Municipality of Anchorage was conducted from May to August 2015. The survey was designed to measure lifetime and past-year experiences of sexual violence and intimate partner violence. Findings include:

• 1 in 2 adult women in the Municipality of Anchorage (48%) have experienced intimate partner violence, sexual violence or both, in their lifetime;
• 1 in 13 have experienced intimate partner violence, sexual violence or both, in the past year;
• The percentage of women in the Municipality of Anchorage who have experienced intimate partner violence, sexual violence, or both in their lifetime dropped from 55% to 48%.
• The percentage of women who have experienced intimate partner violence, sexual violence, or both in the past year dropped from 10% to 8%.
• Rates of violence against women in the Municipality of Anchorage remain unacceptably high.

Results from the 2015 survey of sexual violence against UAA students were also presented by Dr. Lindsey Blumenstein, Justice Center faculty. Conducted in the spring of 2016, this survey measured the prevalence of sexual misconduct and sexual assault against UAA students, both on and off campus. Findings include:

• From January 2015 to Spring 2016, 1 in 10 UAA students have experienced sexual assault and/or misconduct.
• 1 in 30 have experienced sexual assault.
• 1 in 11 have experienced sexual misconduct.

Details of the 2015 AVS are available at: https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/academics/college-of-health/departments/justice-center/research/alaska-victimization-survey/anchorage.cshtml
Summary document
PowerPoint presentation

MORE INFORMATION:
For more background on this project, visit http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/justice/avs
For more information about CDVSA, visit http://www.dps.state.ak.us/CDVSA/
To learn more about Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis, visit http://www.awaic.org
To learn more about Standing Together Against Rape, visit http://www.staralaska.com/

Dr. Payne interviewed by Alaska Dispatch about Anchorage's increase in homicides

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, was interviewed by the Alaska Dispatch News for a recent article on homicides in Anchorage. The story looks at the spike in homicides this year in Anchorage.  As Dr. Payne notes in the article: "We fixate on stranger crimes, which are rare, because those are the ones we can more easily think about. It's easier for us to imagine that horrible things are done by people we don't know and don't love."

Read the full article:
"Anchorage is on track to break the record for most homicides in one year. What's going on?" by Michelle Theriault Boots. Alaska Dispatch News. 3 Sep 2016

AJSAC Fact Sheet reports referenced in KTUU Channel 2 News story about crime in Anchorage

Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC) Fact Sheets on violent crimes and drug arrests in Alaska were referenced in a recent KTUU Channel 2 news story about crime in Anchorage.   

Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice Center faculty, is the director of the AJSAC.  Khristy Parker, M.A., Research Professional, is the author of the Fact Sheets.

"Is crime on the rise in Anchorage? A look at the numbers," by Rebecca Palsha. KTUU Channel 2 News. 1 Sep 2016. 

 

 

Dr. Rivera presents today at Town Hall on Underage Drinking

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice faculty, is a panelist today at the "Shatter the Myth": Town Hall Underage Drinking Presentation at the Fairview Community Recreation Center at 3:00 p.m.

She will be discussing data on underage drinking in Anchorage.  This event is sponsored by Healthy Voices Healthy Choices/Volunteers of America Alaska.

Labor Day closure on Monday, September 5

Early Labor Day parade.

The UAA campus and the Justice Center will be closed Monday, September 5, in observance of Labor Day.

The Justice Center will reopen on Tuesday, September 6 at 8:00 a.m.

Have a safe and healthy Labor Day!