Myrstol presents crime data to House Finance

Dr. Brad Myrstol, interim Justice Center director and director of the Alaska Justice Information Center and Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center, provided the Alaska House Finance Committee with Alaska crime statistics during its special session meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 31. Dr. Myrstol provided  "big picture" annual crime rates from 1985-2016 and monthly crime rates from 2014 to 2016. The presentation gave legislators  trends over both long and short periods of time as well as trends for specific crimes.  In addition to Dr. Myrstol, the committee also heard from Attorney General Jahna Lindemuth from the Department of Law and Tony Piper from the Alcohol Safety Action Program. The committee is considering the financial implications of addressing crime rates and changes proposed to criminal justice reform in SB 54. See Dr. Myrstol's presentation here.

Myrstol provides crime rate data to House Judiciary Committee

Dr. Brad Myrstol presenting Alaska crime data to
members of the House Judiciary Committee

Dr. Brad Myrstol, interim Justice Center director, spoke with members of the House Judiciary Committee on Oct. 16, about crime rates in Alaska, specifically presenting monthly crime rate information for 2014, 2015, and 2016. Rep. Matt Claman, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, stated the purpose of the meeting as gathering information prior to the start of a special session called for next week by Gov. Walker to work on SB54. SB54 is a bill which would amend portions of SB91, a criminal justice reform law that passed in July 2016. Dr. Myrstol provided the committee the latest information available regarding monthly
crime rates both before and after passage of SB91. Find a copy of Dr. Myrstol's presentation here:

• "Crimes Known to Police (Alaska): Statewide Rates, by Month: 2014-2016"  by Brad A. Myrstol. Slide presentation presented to the Alaska House Judiciary Committee, 30th Alaska Legislature, 16 Oct 2017. Justice Center, University of Alaska Anchorage.

Myrstol talks about crime rates with House Budget Committee

Dr. Brad Myrstol talks to House Budget Committee about
property crime rates in Alaska

Dr. Brad Myrstol, interim Justice Center director, spoke with the Alaska State House Budget Committee about crime rates on Oct. 5. Myrstol presented information about property crime rates, showing that crime levels and patterns of fluctuation vary widely over time, across jurisdictions, and according to the crime considered. Find the presentation here.

Dr. Fortson comments on two bills introduced in the Alaska House of Representatives

An Alaska House bill to criminalize abortion would be unconstitutional under both the Alaska and U.S. constitutions, Dr. Ryan Forston told the Alaska Dispatch News recently. House Bill 250 , introduced by Rep. David Eastman (R-Wasilla), would revoke the right of women to obtain abortions under Alaska's constitutional right to privacy. "The intent of the bill seems to be to legislatively outlaw abortion," Dr. Fortson said. "And that is not only a violation of the Alaska Constitution — it would also be against the U.S. Constitution, at least as it's currently interpreted.... The courts won't allow the Legislature to define how a constitutional provision is being interpreted — that's the job of the courts."

House Bill 251, also introduced by Rep. Eastman, would authorize the Alaska Legislature to impeach judges for "exercising legislative power" without judicial review. The Legislature has the power under the Alaska Constitution to impeach judges, according to Dr. Fortson, but "where the limits of that power are is unclear," he said. "If this were passed and the Legislature were to try to exercise it, it's hard to say exactly how it would play out."

According to the article, neither measure is likely to pass.

Read the story:

• "Wasilla Lawmaker's Bill Would Criminalize Abortion"  by Nathaniel Herz.  Alaska Dispatch News, 16 May 2017.

SB 165 on alcohol law reforms passed by Alaska Legislature - Dr. Rivera participated in reviewing statutes and proposing changes

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice Center faculty, was a member of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (now the Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office) work groups that reviewed Title IV statutes on alcohol, and proposed some of the changes in SB 165 passed by the Alaska Legislature in April.

The reforms include a change in penalties for minors in possession of alcohol offenses making them violations instead of misdemeanors. Additional changes to Title IV will be proposed to the legislature for their consideration next session.

Remembering Rep. Gruenberg's visit: helping students learn about the legislative process

Rep. Gruenberg (center) gets to work explaining HB 147 to students.

On October 19, 2015, Rep. Max Gruenberg visited Prof. Kristin Knudsen's class, LEGL 356 Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing, to give realistic feedback to students who had drafted their own proposed amendments to HB 147 Animals: Protection/Release/Custody, a bill introduced by Rep. Liz Vasquez in 2015 and co-sponsored by Rep. Gruenberg.

The  bill deals with animal cruelty investigations, animals included in protective orders, and issues of ownership of an animal in divorce or dissolution cases, and as of this writing, is still in committee.

Rep. Gruenberg was accompanied by Michael Haukedalen, Alaska State Director, Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), who discussed the role of lobbyists and his organization's efforts to promote this bill.  Rep. Liz Vasquez was also invited, but was unable to attend.

Rep. Gruenberg, one of the longest serving members of the Alaska Legislature, passed away unexpectedly on February 14 of this year in Juneau.

Prof. Knudsen (far right) looks on as Rep. Gruenberg (center), with Mr. Haukedalen of the Humane Society (r),
reviews a student's draft amendment. 

Dr. Rosay's presentation March 14 to Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee has been cancelled due to budget discussions

The presentation about the statewide 2015 Alaska Victimization Survey (AVS) by Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, to the Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee, has been cancelled due to state budget discussions.  Lauree Morton, Executive Director, Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault was to co-present with Dr. Rosay.

Dr. Rosay and Ms. Morton were to discuss data from both the 2010 and 2015 statewide AVS.  The results from the 2015 Alaska Victimization Survey conducted by the University of Alaska Anchorage Justice Center for the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault  (CDVSA) show a decline in intimate partner and sexual violence in Alaska since 2010.  While the numbers are getting better, they remain unacceptably high.

Dr. Rosay presents to the Alaska Senate Judiciary about the Alaska Victimization Survey results on Monday, March 14

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, has been invited to present data from the statewide 2015 Alaska Victimization Survey (AVS) to a meeting of the Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, March 14, 2016,at 1:30 p.m. in the Capitol Building, Juneau. Lauree Morton, Executive Director, Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault will be co-presenting with Dr. Rosay.

They will be discussing data from both the 2010 and 2015 statewide AVS.  The results from the 2015 Alaska Victimization Survey conducted by the University of Alaska Anchorage Justice Center for the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault  (CDVSA) show a decline in intimate partner and sexual violence in Alaska since 2010.  While the numbers are getting better, they remain unacceptably high.

Members of the Senate Judiciary Standing Committee are Senators McGuire (Chair), Coghill (Vice-Chair), Costello, Micciche, and Wielechowski.

Justice major returns from internship in Alaska Legislature

Ruddy Abram on the steps of the State Capitol Building.

Ruddy Abam, a Justice major and a junior at UAA, is back from Juneau and her internship as a legislative aide to Representative David Guttenberg (D) of Fairbanks during the 2014 Alaska legislative session.  It was a great experience, but now she is happy to be back on campus and excited about  jumping in and finishing her degree!

Ruddy came to Alaska from the African nation of Cameroon and chose to study the judicial system of the United States.  She was delighted to be selected for the internship in Juneau and was able to observe first-hand how state government works. Ruddy hopes to return to the capital someday to work for the legislature.

Justice major is legislative intern for Representative Guttenberg of Fairbanks

Ruddy Abam on the steps of the State Capitol Building.

Ruddy Abam, a Justice major and a junior at UAA, was selected to work during the 2014 Alaska legislative session as a legislative aide to Representative David Guttenberg (D) of Fairbanks.

From Cameroon, Africa, Ruddy chose to study the judicial system of the United States, and jumped at the chance to apply for the internship in Juneau. She saw this as an opportunity to learn first-hand how the legislature functions and laws are made.

Ruddy, along with two other UAA students who working as legislative aides this semester - Hans Rodvik and Victoria Yancey, are part of state government in action and will be sending word of their  experiences to the UAA community.

Click here to read about Ruddy's first impressions of life and work in our capital city.

AJSAC releases Fact Sheet on the operating budgets of Alaska criminal justice agencies, FY 2001–2013

The Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC) has released, "Alaska Criminal Justice Agency Operating Budgets, 2001–2013,"  number 13-07 in the Fact Sheet publication series.

The July 2013 issue of the AJSAC Fact Sheet presents data on operating budgets enacted by the Alaska Legislature for six key criminal justice agencies from state fiscal years 2001 to 2013. These agencies include the Department of Corrections, Department of Public Safety, Alaska Court System, Division of Juvenile Justice, Criminal Divison of the Department of Law, and Legal and Advocacy Services within the Department of Administration (including the Office of Public Advocacy, the Public Defender Agency, and the Violent Crimes Compensation Board). The budget information presented reflects appropriations rather than actual agency expenditures. The report examines increases in budget allocations for the six agencies and the criminal justice budget as a percentage of the overall statewide operating budget over the 13-year period. The Fact Sheet is by Dr. Brad A. Myrstol, director of the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center.

Dr. Rosay presents January 25 at Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee Crime Summit

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, will make a presentation at the Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee Crime Summit on Wednesday, January 25 in Juneau.

He will be the luncheon keynote speaker and will discuss Justice Center research, including the ongoing Alaska Victimization Survey.

View this event on Gavel to Gavel:

• Senate Judiciary Committee Crime Summit, part 1 (8:30–11:15 AM)
• Senate Judiciary Committee Crime Summit, part 2 (11:15 AM–3:00 PM)
  

The Crime Summit will open with a presentation by Annie Pennucci, Senior Research Associate with the Washington State Institute for Public Policy on "More Education, Less Crime: Research Evidence and Policy Implications." Representatives from agencies and organization will make presentations to the group about justice in Alaska: what is new, what strategies are working, what resources are needed, what programs are successful, and  how the legislature can assist agencies and organizations in this work.

Participants include the Alaska Court System,  Alaska Public Defender Agency, Office of Public Advocacy, Standing Together Against Rape (STAR), Alaska Native Justice Center, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, Partners for Progress, Division of Juvenile Justice, Department of Public Safety, Department of Corrections, the U.S. Attorney's Office, Alaska State Troopers, Municipality of Anchorage, Anchorage Police Department, Palmer Police Department, and others.

A similar Crime Summit was held four years ago in Juneau in 2008. Senator Hollis French (D) is the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee.  

Dr. Rosay presents at Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee Crime Summit

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, will present at the Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee Crime Summit to be held Tuesday and Wednesday, January 24 and 25 in Juneau.  Dr. Rosay will be the luncheon keynote speaker on January 25 and will discuss Justice Center research, including the ongoing Alaska Victimization Survey.

The Crime Summit will open with a presentation by Annie Pennucci, Senior Research Associate with the Washington State Institute for Public Policy on "More Education, Less Crime: Research Evidence and Policy Implications." Representatives from agencies and organization will make presentations to the group about justice in Alaska: what is new, what strategies are working, what resources are needed, what programs are successful, and  how the legislature can assist agencies and organizations in this work. Participants include the Alaska Court System,  Alaska Public Defender Agency, Office of Public Advocacy, Standing Together Against Rape (STAR), Alaska Native Justice Center, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, Partners for Progress, Division of Juvenile Justice, Department of Public Safety, Department of Corrections, the U.S. Attorney's Office, Alaska State Troopers, Municipality of Anchorage, Anchorage Police Department, Palmer Police Department, and others.

A similar Crime Summit was held four years ago in Juneau in 2008. Senator Hollis French (D) is the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee.  The 2012 Crime Summit will be on Gavel to Gavel and will be livestreamed.

Alaska Victimization Survey data on violence against women presented to Alaska Senate committees

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, and Lauree Morton, Interim Executive Director, Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, presented data from the 2010 Alaska Victimization Survey to a joint meeting of the Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Health and Social Services Committee on Monday, January 24, 2011. Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are Senators Hollis French (Chair), Bill Wielechowski (Vice-Chair), Joe Paskvan, Lesil McGuire, and John Coghill. Members of the Senate Health & Social Services Committee are Senators Bettye Davis (Chair), Dennis Egan, Johnny Ellis, Kevin Meyer, and Fred Dyson.

The statewide Alaska Victimization Survey was conducted in 2010 and was modeled upon the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Surveillance System (NISVSS) developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in collaboration with the National Institute of Justice and the U.S. Department of Defense.  It provides the first definitive measures of the incidence and prevalence of violence against women in Alaska.  FY11 Alaska Victimization surveys in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and rural Alaska are currently in progress.

The January 24 presentation addressed study methodology, limitations, findings, and questions posed by legislators present at the meeting. The Powerpoint presentation to the joint committee meeting can be viewed at the UAA Justice Center website. Video of the full presentation before the joint meeting is available online from Gavel to Gavel Alaska, a statewide television service of KTOO-TV, Juneau’s public TV station.

The presentation and results of the survey were widely reported in the media:

• "Alaska's women suffer 'astonishingly high' rates of abuse" by Jill Burke, Alaska Dispatch, January 24, 2011.
• "Poll aims to get baseline data for Alaska domestic violence — 'ALARMING': Officials in Alaska may learn if efforts to curb the problem work" by Becky Bohrer (Associated Press), Anchorage Daily News, January 25, 2011.  (Also published in the Juneau Empire and the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.)
• "Our view: Stunning numbers — Victimization survey quantifies a brutal Alaska reality," Anchorage Daily News (editorial), January 24, 2011.
• "Report: Rape, sexual assault often go unreported in Alaska" by Ted Land, KTUU Channel 2 News, January 24, 2011.
• "Alaska sexual violence far worse than reported: study" by Yereth Rosen, Reuters, January 24, 2011.
• "UAA Justice Center Survey Highlights Violence Against Women in Alaska" by Daysha Eaton. (KDLG 670-AM/89.9-FM Public Radio for Southwest Alaska, 4 Feb 2011). [No longer available online.]

See the UAA Justice Center website for further information on the Alaska Victimization Survey and on other Justice Center research on violence against women.

Dr. Rosay presents to the Alaska Senate Judiciary and the Senate Health and Social Services Committees

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, has been invited to present data from the 2010 Alaska Victimization Survey to a joint meeting of the Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Health and Social Services Committee on Monday, January 24, 2011 at 1:30 p.m. in Butrovich 205, the Capitol Building, Juneau. Lauree Morton, Interim Executive Director, Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault will be be co-presenting with Dr. Rosay.

This presentation will be available via webstreaming. Go to www.alaskalegislature.tv. To be hooked in telephonically, call 1-877-763-5073.

Members of the Senate Judiciary Standing Committee are Senators French (Chair), Wielechowski (Vice-Chair), Paskvan, McGuire, and Coghill. Members of the Senate Health & Social Services Standing Committee are Senators Davis (Chair), Egan, Ellis, Meyer, and Dyson.

Justice Center research cited in Senate Judiciary Committee report on sexual assault

Justice Center research on sexual assault is cited extensively in the recently released Senate Judiciary Committee "Report and Recommendations: Reducing Sexual Assault in Alaska." The report looks at Alaska's high rate of sexual assault -- forcible rape is 12% of all reported violent crime in the state versus 6% of all reported violent crime nationally - and makes a number of recommendations. The Judiciary Committee also "particularly acknowledges the work done by the UAA Justice Center, which has provided vital leadership in its research regarding violence against women in Alaska."

KTUU Channel 2 News covered the release of the report and related stories.

Justice Center sexual assault research presented to Senate Judiciary Committee

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, presented Justice Center research on sexual assault in Alaska to the Senate Judiciary Committee of the Alaska State Legislature on Monday, August 3, 2009. This Senate Judiciary Committee meeting focused on reducing sexual assault in Alaska and included presentations by Tara Henry (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners program), Lt. Michelle Bucher (Anchorage Police Department), Richard Crousie (Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association), Commissioner Joe Masters (Alaska Department of Public Safety), and Sue McLean (Alaska Department of Law).

Members of the committee are Senator Hollis French (D-Anchorage), Chair; Senator Bill Wielechowski (D-Anchorage), Vice Chair; Senator Lesil McGuire (R-Anchorage); Senator Gene Therriault (R-North Pole); and Senator Dennis Egan (D-Juneau).

Dr. Rosay's Powerpoint presentation to the committee can be viewed here.

For further information on sexual assault in Alaska, see the Justice Center bibliography on violence against women.

The committee hearing was covered by Anchorage television stations:

• "Alaska remains #1 with sexual assault" by Christina Grande, KTVA Channel 11 News, August 3, 2009.
  
• "Committee hears details of Alaska's sexual assault problem" by Rhonda McBride, KTUU Channel 2 News, August 3, 2009.

Both station's coverage can also be viewed on video. KTVA:



KTUU:

Dr. Rosay presents violence against women research to Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee

Dr. André Rosay, interim director of the Justice Center, gave a presentation to the Senate Judiciary Committee of the Alaska State Legislature of Justice Center research on violence against women on March 25, 2009. Dr. Rosay also answered questions from members of the committee: Senator Hollis French (D-Anchorage), Chair; Senator Bill Wielechowski (D-Anchorage), Vice Chair; Senator Lesil McGuire (R-Anchorage); and Senator Gene Therriault (R-North Pole).

Dr. Rosay's Powerpoint presentation is available (in PDF format) at the Justice Center Web Site:

• "UAA Research on Violence Against Women" (Powerpoint slide presentation) by André B. Rosay. Slide presentation presented to the Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee, 26th Alaska Legislature, Juneau, AK, March 25, 2009. Anchorage, AK: Justice Center, University of Alaska Anchorage. Audio of the presentation is also available.

Committee minutes and audio of Dr. Rosay's presentation, lasting about 1 hour 20 minutes, is archived at:

• Committee Minutes, Senate Judiciary, Mar 25, 2009, Alaska State Legislature. The audio may be listened to online, or downloaded as an .mp3 file.

Members of the committee were also provided with a packet containing the first ten issues of Alaska Justice Forum Reprints, all of which pertain to violence against women

Dr. Rosay invited to Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Interim Director, has been invited to speak to the Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee in Juneau on Wednesday, March 25, about issues of sexual assault in Alaska.

For further information about sexual assault in Alaska, see the Justice Center's sexual assault bibliography.

Justice Center data cited during testimony at Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee

During his February 11, 2009 overview of the Public Safety Department before the Senate Judiciary Committee of the Alaska Legislature, Commissioner Joe Masters cited data from several Justice Center studies, including Village Public Safety Officer (VPSO) retention issues, reports to Troopers of domestic violence and sexual assault incidents, and analysis of Alaska crime trends.

Reports referenced in Commissioner Masters' testimony include:

• Turnover Among Alaska Village Public Safety Officers: An Examination of the Factors Associated With Attrition by Darryl S. Wood. (March 2000).
  
• Descriptive Analysis of Sexual Assault Incidents Reported to Alaska State Troopers: 2003-2004 by Greg Postle, André B. Rosay, Darryl S. Wood, and Katherine TePas. (2007).
• Descriptive Analysis of Assaults in Domestic Violence Incidents Reported to Alaska State Troopers: 2004 by Marny Rivera, André B. Rosay, Darryl S. Wood, Greg Postle, and Katherine TePas. (2008.)
  

Minutes of Commissioner Masters' testimony are available on the Alaska Legislature's website, as is audio of the meeting. Audio is also available through Gavel to Gavel Alaska.