UAA community volunteers at 2014 Project Homeless Connect

Members of the UAA community volunteered at the 12th Annual Anchorage Project Homeless Connect (PHC) held at the Egan Center on Wednesday, January 29, 2014.  The Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness presents this day-long program with the help of community sponsors and volunteers. The goal is to move our community closer to ending homelessness.

UAA community volunteers for the 2014 PHC included Heather MacAlpine, Justice alum and Municipality of Anchorage Associate Ombudsman; Jack Runser, UAA Human Services major; and Barbara Armstrong, editor, Alaska Justice Forum, Justice Center.  

This event brings together service providers and government agencies under one roof to assist homeless persons in identifying their top 3 issues of concern, and then links individuals with the appropriate provider.  Hospitality is an important part of the day and a lunch is offered to attendees, as well as canned food items to take with them.  Similar programs are presented in cities across the United States.

The initial interview with each attendee also presents an opportunity for collecting information about who is homeless and why.  This data is aggregated and provides a tool to assist service providers and government agencies in policy making and structuring services.

Preliminary estimates show that 600 individuals were served on January 29. The final report for this event will be available shortly.

Don't miss the film "Fruitvale Station" on Friday, Feb 7 at 5pm!

The College of Health Diversity Committee is sponsoring a free film discussion and popcorn event for UAA students:

Day: Friday,  February 7
Time: 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Place: Social Sciences Building (SSB) 118 

The film, "Fruitvale Station," looks at the police shooting of an unarmed young black man on a BART train in Oakland, California on New Year’s 2009.

Justice and Legal Studies students may find this film particularly interesting to view and talk about together.  A faculty-facilitated group discussion follows the film.

This event is presented as part of a series of educational programs for UAA students on issues related to diversity.

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Justice faculty, is chair of the COH Diversity Committee. 

Justice Center welcomes students at Preview Days

Dr. Marny Rivera; Prof. Kristen Knudsen, J.D.; and Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D., Ph.D., met with high school students and their parents at the January 31 Preview Days at the UAA Student Union.

Preview Days is designed specifically for high school juniors and seniors and their guests and helps students get ready to attend UAA.

A student (l) and Prof. Fortson (r) talk about Justice Center
programs as Dr. Rivera (center) looks on.

The event offer students and their guests the opportunity to experience firsthand all that UAA has to offer. Students attend a mock class, workshops on admissions and financial aid, and speak with current students about campus life as well as UAA faculty about academic programs. Guests speak with UAA administrators and also attend workshops on admissions and financial aid.

Two East High students (l) listen as Dr. Rivera describes Justice
and Legal Studies options. Dr. Rivera is a grad of East High herself!

Prof. Knudsen (l) discusses careers in Justice with a parent
and her high school daughter.

"Spirit" poses with our Justice faculty at Preview Days.

Dr. Payne is panelist at upcoming community forum on police use of force procedures

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, will be a panelist at the upcoming Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force (ACPRTF) community forum on February 13.

Topic: Police Use of Force Procedures
Day: Thursday, February 13, 2014
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Place: Clark Middle School

Panelists include Pastor Victor Marbury, ACPTRF Vice-Chair and Chief Mark Mew, Anchorage Police Department (APD), as well as other community and agency members.

This event is presented by the ACPRTF in partnership with the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission, the Anchorage Police Department, and the UAA Justice Center.

Since its establishment in 1981, the Task Force has operated successfully in its role as a liaison between the ethnic minority community and the APD.  It continues to provide a forum for input and constructive dialogue between Anchorage community members and the APD.

Willamette law school dean speaks on legal ethics this week in Prof. Periman's legal studies class

Dean Curtis Bridgeman

Dean Curtis Bridge, Willamette University College of Law, speaks at UAA this week in Prof. Deb Periman's legal ethics class.

Topic: "Legal Ethics & Fiduciary Duty" - followed by a q & a session on law school prep and admissions
Date: Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Place: Social Sciences Building (SSB) 251

All students are welcome to this event.

AJSAC Fact Sheet: Juvenile Justice Referrals in Alaska, 2003–2013

The October 2013 issue of the AJSAC Fact Sheet presents summary information on referrals made by Alaska law enforcement agencies to the Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) for state fiscal years 2003–2013. The report presents data on the number of juveniles referred to DJJ, number of referrals made, charges by class and offense type, and demographic information on referred juveniles.  The data show that the total unduplicated count of youth referred to DJJ in FY 2013 was 2,462 — a decline of 52.1% from FY 2003, with decreases seen across all administrative regions of DJJ. Overall, the number of referrals to DJJ declined both statewide — by 53.6%  from FY03 to FY13 — and regionally. The Fact Sheet is by Khristy Parker and Dr. Brad A. Myrstol of the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC).

January 29 declared Homeless Awareness Day in Anchorage by Mayor Sullivan

January 29 has been declared Homeless Awareness Day in Anchorage by Municipality of Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan.

Project Homeless Connect Anchorage is also being held today at the Egan Center.

This event  is a one-day, one-stop event to provide housing, services, and hospitality in a convenient one-stop model directly to people experiencing homelessness in Anchorage.

It is a way to bring service providers, government agencies, and the general community together to address a problem that affects everyone. The goal is to move from simply managing homelessness towards really ending it.

Prof. Fortson volunteers at MLK free legal clinic

Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D., Justice faculty, was a volunteer lawyer for the Anchorage MLK Day 5th Annual Free Legal Clinic held in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., and his work.  Over 80 volunteer lawyers assisted 253 clients in Anchorage on January 20.

Prof. Fortson reviews
client information
during the legal clinic.

The clinic is a public service project of the Alaska Bar Association, Alaska Court System, and Alaska Legal Services Corporation, and was held at the Mountain View Boys & Girls Club.

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., attorneys answer legal questions for free on MLK Day in communities across Alaska.  These clinics are for low income Alaskans with civil legal needs that include family, landlord-tenant, and public benefits matters.

(Photo by Jamie Lang Photography)

Dr. Chamard directs Winter 2013/2014 Mat-Su Community Survey

The Winter 2013/2014 Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Survey will be directed by Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty.  She has directed the Mat-Su Surveys since 2008. The Winter 2013/2014  survey is in the process of being mailed to a random sample of Mat-Su residents.

The survey has been conducted annually since 2006 and is a cooperative research effort between the Justice Center and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough to collect information about the use of and satisfaction with Borough services, opinions about Borough policies and taxation, and household composition. These data will be used by Borough decision-makers to prioritize projects, improve services, and better plan for the future growth of the Mat-Su Borough.

The Winter 2013/2014 survey will include a new set of questions developed by the Nature Conservancy and focus on the importance and use of salmon by the survey respondents.

The Matanuska-Susitna Community Survey 2012 and Trends 2008 - 2012 report, and additional past reports of the Mat-Su Surveys are available on our website.

Justice Club meeting January 29 in LIB 307

Don't miss the Justice Club meeting!

Date: Wednesday, January 29
Time: 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Where: Consortium Library, LIB 307

Agenda items:

• Spring events
• Movie social
• Pizza study sessions
• Guest speakers
• Upcoming prison tour
• Executive committee elections

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uaajusticeclub