New Society of Law and Justice provides students more opportunities

The Justice Club won a Club Council  award for campus involvement and cooperation among clubs this year. To provide students even greater opportunities in coming years, the Justice Club merged with the Pre-Law Society to form the new Society of Law and Justice.

Students in Justice and Legal Studies often look at law enforcement or law school opportunities, but Justice is much more broad, said Alex Cole, President of the new club.

Alex Cole, President of new Society of Law and Justice, and
Joseph Mizl, Vice President of Legal Studies. Not pictured,
Sevy Sheppard, Vice President of Justice.

Joseph Mizl is the new club's Vice President of Legal Studies and Sevy Sheppard is Vice President of Justice, two positions established by the Society of Law and Justice's constitution.

This summer there will be a few business meetings to talk about campus kick-off and to establish a web presence.

Check out Facebook over the summer for more info.

Need to break the silence continues beyond April

Justice Club wraps up "Breaking the Silence" event during April, Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Every Tuesday and Thursday in April, club members  provided an opportunity for people to share their words or story to raise awareness and break the silence about sexual assault.

Media coverage:

 "UAA Breaking the Silence" (video) by Joshua Maxwell.  KTBY Fox 4 / YourAlaskaLink.com, 26 Apr 2017.

Justice Club member Joseph Mizel being interviewed
by KTBY Fox 4 reporter about "Breaking the Silence."

Justice Club member Joseph McMahon pins
Break the Silence button on Dr. Allan Barnes,
Justice faculty.

Justice Club members L-R Austin Rogers, Brad Foster,
Alex Cole and Joey Sweet.

Corrections aiming to be gold standard in treatment of mentally ill

The Department of Corrections (DOC) is the largest provider of mental health services in the state of Alaska. With 33,000 bookings a year, 65% of those booked qualify as beneficiaries of the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, including 23% with a serious mental illness, according to Adam Rutherford, Chief Mental Health Officer for DOC.

In many areas, Alaska lags behind other states, but not in its treatment of the mentally ill in its correctional institutions, Rutherford said.“We are practicing evidenced-based interventions, we are a leader in this area,” he said, adding, “We want to be the gold standard in mental health care.”

L-R: DJJ Clinical Director Shannon Cross-Azbill, DJJ Chief Probation Officer
Heidi Redick, DOC Director of Health and Rehabilitation Services
Laura Brooks and DOC Chief Mental Health Officer Adam Rutherford.

Rutherford, along with Laura Brooks, Director of Health and Rehabilitation Services for DOC, Shannon Cross-Azbill, Clinical Director for the Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) and Heidi Redick, DJJ Chief Probation Officer, spoke at UAA earlier this month in a program sponsored by the UAA Justice Club on how the mentally ill are being served in both the adult corrections and juvenile justice.

While it is often difficult to diagnose juveniles, DJJ Clinical Director Cross-Azbill said that the majority of those in DJJ have a mental health diagnosis including substance abuse, ADHD, depression and trauma-related disorders. They’ve recently been keeping track of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorders and found 47% of the juveniles may be experiencing this, she added.

The panelists attributed the high numbers of those with a mental illness in both juvenile and adult systems to be partly in response to a lack of resources outside their systems.

Laura Brooks, who oversees all of DOC’s Health and Rehabilitative Services (HARS), explained the growth in prison treatment of the mentally ill as symptomatic of a shift in the 1960s away from funding state psychiatric hospitals and moving toward community mental health centers that were inadequately funded. Eventually, many of those with mental health issues ended up in correctional institutions, she said.

Not only is DOC Alaska’s largest behavioral treatment center it is also the state’s largest health care provider.  It is also the largest medical facility, largest detox center, and substance abuse treatment center. The behavioral health staff has 21,000 contacts with offenders a year, according to Rutherford. The HARS staff of 200 sees 5,000 patients a day inpatient and 4,000 a day outpatient, according to Brooks.

DOC has followed the national movement to screen people coming into the system to assess : 1) criminogenic risk, 2) need for substance abuse treatment, and 3) need for mental health treatment.

The goal is to have people in a better position when they leave the facilities than when they entered, Rutherford said. This is important, he added, because most of those who are incarcerated return to the community.

Want to learn more about justice in Anchorage?

Austin Rodgers, Justice Club  secretary.
   Photo credit: Young Kim

"If you want to really learn about what happens behind the scenes — to a certain extent — in regards to Anchorage and what really happens to the justice side of it, the [Justice] club is in a perfect spot right now to where you can learn about that,” Brad Foster, club president and criminal justice major told the Northern Light.

Justice Club's emphasis on service and its effort to strengthen year-to-year student involvement is driving a merger with the Pre-Law Society. "Pre-Law Society is actually going to be dissolving into the Justice Club, and the new club is going to be called the Society of Law and Justice," Foster said.

Interested in learning more: check out the end of year Mario Kart Drive for Justice bash April 21 at 6p.m. in North Hall 2nd floor lounge. Or go to a meeting. The club meets every other Friday at 5:30p.m. in room 119 of the Social Science Building. The next meeting is April 14. Questions? uaa_justiceclub@alaska.edu

Non-adversarial alternative courts provide challenge and rewards

Alternative or therapeutic courts are probably one of the biggest movements in the judiciary since the Judiciary Act of 1789, Assistant Professor Cory Lepage, Justice faculty, told a nearly standing room only audience at a panel discussion on alternative courts last week in the Lew Haines Conference Room at the UAA/APU Consortium Library.

U.S. District Magistrate Judge Deborah Smith, Federal Probation Officer Chris Liedike, Assistant District Attorney Heather Nobrega, and Assistant Public Defender Ben Muse spoke of their experiences in alternative courts in an event sponsored by the UAA Justice Club as part of National Criminal Justice Month.

R-L: Assistant District Attorney Heather Nobrega, Assistant Public Defender
Ben Muse, U.S. District Magistrate Judge Deborah Smith, and
Federal Probation Officer Chris Liedike

The non-adversarial courts bring prosecutor, defense attorney, judge, probation officer and defendant together to craft a set of requirements that often include intense outpatient treatment, random UAs, getting a job or doing volunteer work, and regular updates to the court for 12 to 18 months. 

"It’s a lot easier to sit on your butt in jail,” Assistant D.A. Heather Nobrega said.

The non-adversarial approach takes some getting used to, according to Assistant P. D. Ben Muse. “Heather and I are trial lawyers, people don’t always play nice.” 

“We have different perspectives,” Nobrega said, adding, “The judge makes the ultimate decision.”

Both agree, though, on the success of the court and its ability to support defendants and helping to keep them from re-offending.

Judge Deborah  Smith presides over the Alaska Hope Court – a pilot project at the federal level.  Probation Officer Chris Liedike, a reentry specialist, works with defendants in the program.

It’s a carrot and stick approach with immediate and proportional sanctions, Judge Smith said. A positive UA results in immediate jail time, two days if the defendant is truthful, four days if not truthful.

Judge Smith invited audience members to visit her court, which is in session every other Thursday in courtroom 4 in the federal building. “It’s open to the public,” she said. “Feel free to come and join us or intern with us.”

Help break the silence during Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Governor Bill Walker proclaimed April Sexual Awareness Month citing the 2015 Alaska Victimization Survey  which presents research on violence against women in Alaska. Although Alaska experienced a decrease in sexual violence in the past 12 months, the state is still ranked highest in the nation.

To support increased awareness, the UAA Justice Club presents, "Breaking the Silence." Share your words or story and help break the silence every Tuesday and Thursday in April from 11a.m.-2p.m. in the Social Science Building.

For more information contact Joseph at jmitzel@alaska.edu or uaa_justice@alaska.edu.

Sexual Awareness Month is observed on the national level as well as state level.

Alaska Victimization Survey in the news:
--Alaska, US leaders proclaim April as sexual assault awareness month   Apr 1, 2017 — KTVA CBS 11 News
--After fatal shooting, woman’s friends and family hope to shine light on domestic violence 
Mar 31, 2017 — Chugiak-Eagle River Star

Mental health care among juvenile and adult correctional populations discussion April 6

Join the UAA Justice Club for a panel discussion of mental health care among juvenile and adult correctional populations, the last in our National Criminal Justice Month 2017 series of discussions.

Date: Thursday, April 6
Time: 7:00–8:30 p.m.
Location: UAA/APU Consortium Library, LIB 307
Admission: Free and open to the public

Providing mental health care has become an increasingly crucial aspect of modern correctional rehabilitation.  Nationally, more than half of prison and jail inmates have mental health problems, and probation/parole departments provide essential mental health services to their clients.

Learn how Alaska tackles these issues at a panel discussion with experts from the Division of Juvenile Justice and Department of Corrections:

Heidi Redick — Chief Probation Officer, Division of Juvenile Justice
Shannon Cross-Azbill — Clinical Director,  Division of Juvenile Justice
Laura Brooks —  Director of Health and Rehabilitation Services, Department of Corrections
Adam Rutherford — Chief Mental Health Officer, Department of Corrections

New plan to strengthen trust between police and community

“We’re not just the people with the gun and badge,” Capt. Sean Case said last week as he explained Anchorage Police Department’s Community Action Policing (CAP) initiative and expanded foot patrols. We don’t just deal with something and go away, he said.

Capt. Case, along with Mayor Ethan Berkowitz, Sgt. Brian Williams, president of the Anchorage Police Department Employees Association (APDEA), Jamie Boring, executive director of the Anchorage Downtown Partnership, and Nora Morse, Special Assistant to Mayor Ethan Berkowitz, spoke about community policing at an event sponsored by the UAA Justice Club and Justice Center as part of National Criminal Justice Month.

L to R: Nora Morse, special assistant to the mayor, APD
Capt Sean Case, Sgt. Brian Williams, president of the Anchorage
Police Department Employees Association, and
Mayor Ethan Berkowitz discuss community policing

“We’re making contact with business owners. We’re making contact with people who live in the area,” Capt. Case said.  “It’s a communication-based approach.”

Mayor Berkowitz, who left an Assembly meeting to participate in the discussion, pointed out that “it is important to us to enhance community safety and to protect officer safety and do it in a way where there’s a lot of community trust.”

Anchorage is one of the most ethnically diverse communities in the country with four out of the five most diverse high schools. “Let’s show everyone else we can get along,” Mayor Berkowitz said.

The idea is to proactively prevent crime instead of react to it, according to a letter Mayor Berkowitz sent to the Anchorage community regarding APD’s 2017 Targeted Crime Plan.

“The police department is integral to everyone feeling safe. There is a tremendous amount of social work, a tremendous amount of counseling that goes into making sure you feel safe,” Mayor Berkowitz told a largely UAA student audience, many of whom are enrolled in Justice Center programs.

Three neighborhoods, Mountain View, Spenard and Fairview will get foot patrols. These three neighborhoods have been targeted because of a history of higher call column. They are condensed and easier to get to on foot. The communities have also been asking for better services.

The idea came from the Task Force on 21st Century Policing, Mayor Berkowitz said. The Task Force, created by President Barack Obama was part of the Administration’s efforts to “strengthen community policing and strengthen trust among law enforcement officers and the communities they serve.”

Jamie Boring, executive director of the Anchorage Downtown Partnership, spoke about the drop in crime downtown experienced with the addition of foot patrols.

Under Mayor Berkowitz, APD has grown to over 400 officers with another 56 in the training cycle. There are also more than 90 officers eligible to retire. Still, 2017 will see some gains, Capt. Case said, and encouraged students to think about applying for the academy.

Alternative court panel discussion Thursday, March 30

Join the UAA Justice Club as they present a panel discussion of alternative courts in Alaska's state and federal district courts.

• Date: Thursday, March 30
• Time: 7:00–8:30 p.m.
• Location: UAA/APU Consortium Library, LIB 307
• Admission: Free

Drug courts, veteran courts and reentry courts offer offenders an opportunity to work with a collaborative team toward treatment and rehabilitation. Learn more about how these courts operate with:

• U.S. District Court Chief Magistrate Judge Deborah M. Smith
• Federal Probation Officer Chris Liedike
• Assistant Professor Cory Lepage
• Assistant Public Defender Ben Muse
• Assistant District Attorney Heather Nobrega

National Criminal Justice Month events are sponsored by the Justice Center and the UAA Justice Club.

Join us Tuesday for "A Discussion of Community Policing in Anchorage" and movie on Friday

"A Discussion of Community Policing in Anchorage" — kicks off  Justice Club-sponsored events for National Criminal Justice Month 2017.

• Date: Tuesday, March 21
• Time: 7:00–8:30 p.m.
• Location: UAA/APU Consortium Library, LIB 307
• Admission: Free

The Anchorage Police Department has recently increased community policing efforts, including adding foot patrols in some areas around Anchorage. Come hear the Anchorage Police Department and community leaders discuss current efforts at reducing crime, reducing fear of crime, and improving police-community relations.

Scheduled to appear:

• Capt. Sean Case, Anchorage Police Department
• Jamie Boring, Executive Director, Anchorage Downtown Partnership, Ltd.
• Wanda Green, Immediate Past President, Alaska NAACP

Also, this week:
The movie, "End of Watch," will be shown Friday, March 24, in SSB 118 at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free.

National Criminal Justice Month events are sponsored by the Justice Center and the UAA Justice Club.

---

In 2009 the United States Congress established March as National Criminal Justice Month. The purpose of National Criminal Justice Month is to promote societal awareness regarding the causes and consequences of crime, as well as strategies for preventing and responding to crime.

UAA Justice Club holds Valentine’s Day Fundraiser for AWAIC and STAR

Joseph Mitzel, Club Council Representative for the UAA Justice
Club and Caitlin Sawicki, Development Coordinator for AWAIC
set up resources for students at Rasmuson Hall on Feb. 8.

UAA Justice Club members are partnering with AWAIC (Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis, Inc.) and STAR (Standing Together Against Rape) to raise awareness of what “love is” and what “love is not” as they travel to different locations on UAA’s Anchorage campus the week before Valentine’s Day. Along with providing information, Justice Club members are selling Valentine’s Day cards and gifts that will be personally delivered on February 14 with proceeds to go to AWAIC and STAR.

Criminal Justice Reform: Senate Bill 91 - Dec 8 program video and materials now online

Panelists (l to r): Dr. Troy Payne, Justice Center; Jeff Jessee and Lt. Kris Sell, ACJC Commission members;
Barbara Dunham, ACJC staff attorney; Geri Fox, AK Pretrial Services Division; and Dr. Araceli Valle, AJiC.

About 150 UAA students and members of the public attended the December 8 program, "Criminal Justice Reform: A discussion of Senate Bill 91 - Reducing the prison population while enhancing public safety," co-sponsored by the Justice Center and the UAA Justice Club.
  
Click here to view the video and materials.

The approximately 2-hour video of the program is now available on the Justice Center website and on our YouTube channel. The program PowerPoint and other publication resources are also available on the website.

Panelists were Jeff Jessee, Alaska Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC) member, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority - Moderator; Lt. Kris Sell, Alaska Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC) member; Barbara Dunham, Alaska Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC); Geri Fox, Alaska Division of Pretrial Services; Dr. Araceli Valle, Alaska Justice Information Center (AJiC); and Dr. Troy Payne, Justice Center faculty.

Panelists and Justice Club officers pose for a photo following the event.
L to r: Justice Club officers Jonathan Gonzalez and Alex Cole; Barbara Dunham, ACJC staff attorney; Geri Fox, AK Pretrial Services Division; Dr. Troy Payne, Justice Center; Dr. Araceli Valle, AJiC; ACJC members Lt .Kris Sell and Jeff Jessee;
and Justice Club officers Austin Rogers, Bradley Foster, and Austin Otos.

Drs. Blumenstein and Payne, APD officers, and AWAIC representative discuss domestic violence at roundtable

Dr. Lindsey Blumenstein and Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, joined APD Officers  Lisa Whitmore and Rhonda Street, and  AWAIC Community Education Coordinator Emily Sannini, at a Domestic Violence Action Roundtable at UAA on October 20.

Panelists for the program (l to r): Dr. Lindsey Blumenstein, Justice Center;
Officer Lisa Whitemore and Officer Rhonda Street, Anchorage Police Dept.;
Emily Sannini, Community Education Coordinator, Abused Women's
Aid in Crisis (AWAIC); and Dr. Troy Payne, Justice Center.

The discussion centered on how frequently domestic violence occurs, how to help victims, and what the process of reporting to the police is like  — all with a focus on what everyone can do to prevent domestic violence.







View the short video clip of Dr. Blumenstein:
This event was co-sponsored by the UAA Justice Center and the Justice Club. Dr. Troy Payne is the faculty advisor for the Justice Club.

UAA Justice Club students address the attendees.
L to r standing: Jonathan Gonzalez, member-at-large;
Brianna Baldwin, treasurer; Bradley Foster, president.

UAA Justice Club sponsors Outrun Hunger 5K Run/Walk on November 19

UAA Justice Club is sponsoring the Outrun Hunger 5K Run/Walk on November 19 to help support the Anchorage homeless. The race entry fee is $35, which includes a T-shirt with the Outrun Hunger design. The club will donate a portion of the entry fees to local homeless shelters.

What: Outrun Hunger 5K Walk/Run
Date: Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016
Time: 12 noon start - arrive at 11:45 a.m. for attendance count, t-shirts, and raffle entries
Where: Goose Lake Park

For information and registration application, please email blbaldwin2@alaska.edu

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, is the faculty advisor for the Justice Club.

UAA Justice Club general meeting on Friday, November 4

UAA Justice Club will hold a general meeting Friday, November 4 at 5:30 p.m. in SSB 119.

Drop by and join us! 

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, is the faculty advisor for the Justice Club.

A look back at our 2016 National Criminal Justice Month events - and a chance to view the videos if you missed the programs!

Wednesday, March 9
"The Fairbanks 4: Lessons Learned from Alaska's First Exoneration" 

Events for the 2016 National Criminal Justice Month kicked off with "The Fairbanks 4: Lessons Learned from Alaska's First Exoneration." This program was co-sponsored by the Alaska Innocence Project.

Panelists were Rick Allen, Director, Office of Public Advocacy; Lesley Hammer, Forensic Scientist, Hammer Forensics; and Bill Oberly, Executive Director, Alaska Innocence Project.

Missed the program? Click here to view the video.

Panelists (far right at table) for the "The Fairbanks 4" program spoke to a packed room of students and members of the public.

Posing for a photo after the program (l to r): Jory Knott, student  and Pre-Law Society officer and Alaska Innocence Project intern, panelists: Rick Allen, Office of Public Advocacy; Lesley Hammer, Hammer Forensics; and Bill Oberly, Alaska Innocence Project; program moderator Dr. Troy Payne, Justice Center; students and Pre-Law Society officers Nathel Sims and Camilla Hussein.

Wednesday, March 23
"How the U.S. Supports Peacekeeping in Africa: Policing and Police Training"

Later in the month Mark Mew, former Anchorage Police Department (APD) Chief, discussed his recent experiences in Africa during the program, "How the U.S. Supports Peacekeeping in Africa: Policing and  PoliceTraining." Mr. Mew's work in Africa was coordinated by Bering Straits Native Corporation.

The 2016 National Criminal Justice Month programs were sponsored by the Justice Center, Justice Club, and the Pre-Law Society. 

Missed the program? Click here to view the video.

Mark Mew (standing center) describes the challenges facing peacekeepers in Africa today.

L to r: Bill Mendenhall, Bering Straits Native Corporation; Mark Mew, former APD chief;
program moderator Dr. Troy Payne, Justice Center; Jory Knott, student and Pre-Law Society officer.

Reminder - Justice Club meeting on Sep 23 at 5:30 p.m.!

Don't miss the first meeting of the UAA Justice Club on Wednesday, September 23, at 5.30 PM in Library 207B. 

• Learn about our upcoming events. 
• Meet other Justice Majors/Minors.
• Get prepared for your Justice classes.
• Food will be provided!

 Justice Club is also looking for a new treasurer!

Any questions can be emailed to Ashleigh Radvansky, Justice Club president, at  apradvansky@alaska.edu or uaa_justiceclub@uaa.alaska.edu.

Dr. Troy Payne is the faculty advisor for Justice Club.

Justice Club meets Sep 23 at 5:30 p.m. in LIB 207B

Don't miss the first meeting of the UAA Justice Club on Wednesday, September 23, at 5.30 PM in Library 207B. 

• Learn about our upcoming events. 
• Meet other Justice Majors/Minors.
• Get prepared for your Justice classes.
• Food will be provided!

 Justice Club is also looking for a new treasurer!

Any questions can be emailed to Ashleigh Radvansky, Justice Club president, at  apradvansky@alaska.edu or uaa_justiceclub@uaa.alaska.edu.

Dr. Troy Payne is the faculty advisor for Justice Club.

Justice Center student clubs: A look back at events in AY 2014-2015

Below is a brief look back at AY 2014-2015 events sponsored by Justice Center student clubs.  The clubs will be gearing up for fall semester 2015. Join in the planning process and take advantage of networking opportunities with justice, law enforcement, and corrections experts!

Pre-Law Society 

• Informal LSAT study sessions - fall semester
• Visit with Alaska 3rd Judicial District Superior Court Presiding Judge William Morse  - discussion of Wellness Courts - spring semester
• Tour of Alaska Law Library in Anchorage - spring semester
• National Criminal Justice Month co-sponsor - spring semester

Justice Club

• Anchorage Police Dept. (APD) ride-alongs - fall and spring semesters
• APD and Alaska State Troopers career talk - fall and spring semesters
• Finals study sessions - fall and spring semesters
• National Criminal Justice month co-sponsor - spring semester
• Women in Law Enforcement Recruitment Fair - fall and spring semesters

Alpha Phi Sigma - National Criminal Justice Honor Society

• New member welcome event - spring semester

The faculty advisors for Justice Center student clubs are:
Pre-Law Society: Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D. and Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D., Ph.D.
Justice Club: Dr. Troy Payne and Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D.
Alpha Phi Sigma: Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D., Ph.D.

Justice Club elects new officers for 2015-2016 academic year

The UAA Justice Club recently elected new officers for the 2015-2016 academic year:

• President - Ashleigh Radvansky
• Vice President - Coy Hill
• Treasurer - Brandi Tyree
• Secretary - Montana Nolan
• Club Council Representative - Joseph Mitzel

Faculty advisors are Dr. Troy Payne and Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D.

Email Justice Club at uaa_justiceclub@uaa.alaska.edu