Dr. Allen Ault speaks about his "40 Years in Corrections" for National Criminal Justice Month

Dr. Ault stresses a point during his presentation.

About 75 UAA students, faculty, and members of the public gathered on March 2 to hear  Dr. Allen Ault, Dean of the College of Justice & Safety at Eastern Kentucky University, share his 40 years of experience in corrections. Dr. Ault discussed the "War on Drugs" and the rapid rise in incarceration rates in the U.S., the disproportionate number of minority individuals who are incarcerated, the shift in corrections as rehabilitative to punitive, the rising number of inmates with mental health concerns, and the issue of capital punishment.

This event was sponsored by the Justice Center, the Pre-Law Society, and the Justice Club as part of National Criminal Justice Month. Dr. Troy Payne and Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., are the Justice Center faculty advisors for this event. Our thanks to Rich Curtner, an adjunct faculty member at the Justice Center, and Alaskans Against the Death Penalty for bringing Dr. Ault to Alaska and making possible Dr. Ault’s presentation at this event.

A podcast and Dr. Ault's Powerpoint presentation are on the Justice Center website.

Media mention

• "Ex-Dept. Of Justice Official to Alaska Students: We Can Do Better" by John Aronno. Alaska Commons, 3 Mar 2015.

L to r: Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D.; Dr. Troy Payne; Dr. Allen Ault;
Camilla Hussein, Pre-Law Society President; Rich Curtner, Adjunct Faculty,
and Chair, Alaskans Against the Death Penalty

Death house chaplain Carroll Pickett to speak; public invited

Rev. Carroll Pickett will be a guest speaker for the Justice course "Substantive Criminal Law" on March 9. The public is invited to attend:

Monday, March 9, 2009
5:30–7:30 PM
SSB 118
UAA campus

SSB 118 is located in the Social Sciences Building, which is the building numbered 23 on the UAA campus map. Parking will be free (due to Spring Break).

Rev. Carroll Pickett served 15 years as the death house chaplain at the infamous "Walls" prison unit in Huntsville, Texas, and was featured in the award-winning documentary film,"At the Death House Door." During Rev. Pickett's remarkable career journey leading to his conclusion that the death penalty should be abolished, he presided over 95 executions, including the world’s first lethal injection. After each execution, Rev. Pickett recorded an audiotape account of his trip to the death chamber.

The film will be followed by a question and answer session with Rev. Pickett, moderated by Rich Curtner, Adjunct Professor of Justice and Federal Public Defender for the District of Alaska.

For more information contact the Justice Center at 786-1810.