High victimization rates and lack of reporting troubling in 2016 NCVS

Darlene Hutchinson, Director of the Office for Victims of Crime, the Office of Justice Programs responded to the 2016 National Crime Victimization Survey released last week, finding troubling high victimization rates and the fact that 58 percent of victims of violent crime did not report the offenses to the police. The Bureau of Justice Statistics released the 2016 National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), a survey, undertaken every year. NCVS data show that in 2016, U.S. residents aged 12 or older experienced 5.7 million violent offenses-including rape or sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated and simple assault. The NCVS data also show that only 42 percent of victims of violence report the offenses to the police.

Congratulations to 2017 grads!

L-R: Troy Payne, Deb Periman, Allan Barnes,
Sharon Chamard, Brad Myrstol, and Ron Everett.
Not pictured: Kristin Knudsen and Ryan Fortson

Sharon Chamard, UAA Faculty Senate President and Justice faculty, spoke at UAA commencement on Sunday and encouraged graduates to "to lift up those around you, to contribute to the betterment of the world, or just your tiny corner of it.  Do what you can to ensure that others coming behind you have the same or even better opportunities than you have had."

Read the full text of Chamard's inspiring speech below:

As President of the Faculty Senate, and on behalf of the faculty, it is my honor and privilege to congratulate all of you graduates for your success and accomplishments.

Whether this is part of your life plan hatched as a toddler and you fully expected to be sitting here today, or you are looking around in amazement, wondering how you pulled off this tremendous feat of completing a university degree, you are all now members of an elite group—those who have had the good fortune of living in a time and place that provides broad opportunities for higher education.
 
Indeed, you are part of the most educated generation in the history of the world. Did you know, for example that in 1960, shortly after Alaska became a state, only 10% of Alaskan adults had a Bachelor’s degree? That percentage has increased every year, and now we’re close to 30%. Globally, right now fewer than 10% of adults have a college degree.

With this good fortune and privilege comes a responsibility, to lift up those around you, to contribute to the betterment of the world, or just your tiny corner of it.  Do what you can to ensure that others coming behind you have the same or even better opportunities than you have had.
 
Right now, despite the festivities of the day, you may be worried about your own future, about getting a good job, and about paying back your student loans. But I guarantee you, you have what it takes to not only continue to succeed in your own life, but to help others around you succeed.  It takes persistence and commitment to get where you are today, and you can model that behavior to your siblings, your children, your coworkers, your friends, and the people in your community.

For faculty, seeing you all turn the page to your next amazing story is tremendously gratifying. We hope you will look back on this chapter of the book of your life with fondness, appreciation, and a sense of accomplishment.
 
Now, I ask my faculty colleagues to join me in recognizing you for your success and thanking you for sharing a part of your valuable life with us.
 

Congratulations to Justice Center fall and summer 2017 grads!

With Fall 2017 Commencement this weekend, join us in congratulating Justice Center fall and summer  2017 graduates!

This fall, 15 students received a B.A. in Justice, nine received a B.A. in Legal Studies, three received an A.A.S. in Paralegal Studies and one received a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Paralegal Studies.

This summer three students graduated, one with a B.A. in Legal Studies, one with a B.A. in Justice, and one with a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Paralegal Studies.

We also congratulate the five students who are receiving a Justice minor and two students receiving a Legal Studies minor this fall.

Best wishes on your future success!

Judge Mannheimer listens to oral arguments in Prof. Fortson's Advanced Litigation class

L-R standing: Max Delzer, Kara Stewart, Prof. Ryan Fortson,
Court of Appeals Judge David Mannheimer, Sabine Kraft, Kris Young, Joseph Mitzel
L-R kneeling: Colleen Abad, Jenny McCord

Judge David Mannheimer, Chief Judge of the Alaska Court of Appeals, listened to final oral arguments of students in Prof. Ryan Fortson's Advanced Trial and Litigation Processes class, (Legal 47), on Wednesday, Dec. 13. As part of their final project for class, students prepared memos opposing or in support of one of five different fictional scenarios developed by Prof. Fortson. Prof. Fortson invited Judge Mannheimer to give students the experience of presenting oral arguments on their memos in front of a sitting judge. Wednesday's oral arguments serve as the final exam for the class.

Cravez speaks at Tundra Vision and Justice Alaska about territorial lawyers

Pamela Cravez, editor of the Alaska Justice Forum, was featured speaker at the Tundra Vision Lecture Series this week. She told stories from her recent book, The Biggest Damned Hat: Tales for Alaska's Territorial Lawyers and Judges at the community history event.

Next week, Cravez will be a guest on Alaska Public Radio's Justice Alaska, a call-in radio show featuring topics on Alaska's justice system. The show will be broadcast on KSKA 91.1 FM at 2 p.m., Wednesday, December 20.

AJiC releases fact sheet on motor vehicle thefts

The most recent issue of the AJiC Fact Sheet, "Motor Vehicle Theft Arrests Reported in Alaska, 1986–2015," presents data on motor vehicle theft arrests reported in Alaska from 1986 to 2016 as reported in the Alaska Department of Public Safety publication Crime in Alaska. Overall, the motor vehicle arrest rate consistently declined between 1990 and 2014 when it reached the lowest level in the 1985–2016 period. The motor vehicle arrest rate rebounded in 2015 and 2016. Increases in Alaska motor vehicle arrest rates in 2015 and 2016 were particularly pronounced among adults and males, while motor vehicle arrest rates for juveniles and females remained minimal in comparison. On average, adults accounted for 62.6 percent and juveniles for 37.4 percent of all arrests for motor vehicle thefts reported in Alaska from 1985 to 2016. Males accounted for 81.8 percent of all motor vehicle theft arrests, females 18.2 percent.

The fact sheet is by Random Reamey, Research Professional, Alaska Justice Information Center (AJiC). The AJiC Fact Sheet series addresses various crime and criminal justice topics.

Citation:

• Reamey, Random. (2017). "Motor Vehicle Theft Arrests Reported in Alaska, 1985–2015." AJiC Fact Sheet 17-03 (Dec 2017).

Prof. Payne publishes method for identifying dark-time crime locations for street lighting

Prof. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, recently published an article in Crime and Prevention and Community Safety with co-author Rustu Deryol, that provides an empirical method for where to site street lights for the purpose of crime prevention. The authors used a statistical clustering method to examine and compare streets near the University of Cincinnati West Campus selected for lighting during early 2014. Findings revealed temporal patterns of crime within crime hot spots. To learn more about findings and implications of conclusions read the article:

• Rustu Deryol & Troy C. Payne (2017, advance online publication).  A method of identifying dark-time crime locations for street lighting purposes. Crime Prevention and Community Safety.

Prof. Brandeis discusses marijuana policy at CLE today

Prof. Jason Brandeis

Alaska is now among eight states that have legalized commercaial marijuana use and sale for adults. However, marijuana use, possession, and sale remains generally illegal under federal law. This ongoing tension presents numerous legal challenges and questions for businesses operating in the marijuana industry, for recreational and medicinal marijuana users, for government regulatory agencies tasked with overseeing and managing these markets, and for attorneys who work in this field.

Professor Jason Brandeis, Justice Center faculty,  is giving two presentations on these ongoing marijuana law and policy issues at today's continuing legal education (CLE) event titled Recreational Marijuana Law In Alaska. Professor Brandeis' first presentation, "Federal Responses to Alaska Marijuana Law," will discuss constitutional preemption and the Controlled Substance Act, how federal agency policy decisions affect state marijuana markets, current federal marijuana enforcement priorities, and the impact of federal marijuana prohibition on state agencies receiving federal funding.

Professor Brandeis is also giving a presentation on the ethical issues that marijuana legalization poses for attorneys. This presentation, covering marijuana and the Alaska Rules of Professional Conduct, satisfies part of the Alaska Bar Association's legal ethics education requirement.

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.  He has also provided legal services to the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Alaska.