Dr. Rosay presents to visiting Washington, D.C. Dept. of Justice officials

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, made a presentation on Alaska's sexual assault statistics to visiting Washington D.C. officials from the Department of Justice on August 20, 2010. He was part of a panel that included Attorney General Dan Sullivan, Alaska Public Safety Commissioner Joe Masters, and representatives from the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, the Alaska Native Women's Coalition, the Alaska Native Justice Center, and the Anchorage Sexual Abuse Response Team (SART). Dr. Rosay described violence against women crime statistics and victim/perpetrator demographics and their implications for policy.

Visiting D.C. officials included the Director and Associate Director of the Office on Violence against Women, the Deputy Director for Policy and Legislation of the Office on Violence against Women, the Deputy Associate Attorney General from the Department of Justice, a criminal justice policy analyst with the Justice branch of the Office of Management and Budget, and Executive Director of the Justice Programs Council on Native American Affairs. The program was hosted by the Alaska Native Justice Center.

Prof. Periman presents on paralegal ethics to Alaska Bar

Left to right: Sue Tyree of Turner & Mede PC, Prof. Periman, and Alaska Bar Counsel Steve Van Goor.

Prof. Deb Periman, Justice faculty, was a panel member for the Alaska Bar continuing legal education (CLE) program, "2010 Ethics: No Rewind in the Real World," on August 24, 2010 at the Hotel Captain Cook. Her presentation on "Paralegals - Helping Them Help Your Firm," highlighted ways for attorneys to ethically and efficiently use paralegals in their practice, and focused on how to avoid common pitfalls. This program and course materials are available free online from the Alaska Bar.

Other panelists included Sue Tyree, law firm administrator with Turner & Mede PC; Thomas Van Flein with Clapp, Peterson, Van Flein, Tiemessen & Thorsness LLC; Katherine Alteneder with Alteneder Law; Louise Driscoll, Alaska Assistant Bar Counsel; and Steve Van Goor, Alaska Bar Counsel.

This seminar is an annual Alaska Bar CLE offering on professional responsibility and legal ethics.

Dr. Chamard attends Native cultural immersion program

Dr. Chamard by the Arctic Ocean.

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, spent ten days in July at a subsistence camp on the Kuupik and Colville Rivers south of Nuiqsut in the North Slope Borough. She was selected to participate in the Alaska Humanities Forum program, Take Wing Alaska. This cross-cultural immersion program, "Inupiaq Land Use, Values, and Resources," is presented by Ilisagvik College.

The major focus of Take Wing Alaska is to provide mentored experiential learning for Alaska Native rural students transitioning to urban post-secondary education. The program's long-term vision is for these students to return to their communities to share their knowledge and experiences.

In addition, Take Wing Alaska provides the opportunity for educators to attend a cross-cultural immersion Alaska Native culture camp. The camp experience focuses on Alaska Native peoples, their culture, and their ways of teaching, learning, and living.

Justice Center participates in 2010 Campus Kickoff

Justice faculty Prof. Deb Periman and Dr. Ron Everett
with Chancellor Fran Ulmer (center)
at the Justice Center exhibit table.

The Justice Center participated in the 2010 Campus Kickoff on Saturday, August 21 at the Lucy Cuddy Commons. The Campus Kickoff featured food, information booths, prizes, and live music.

Students and parents had the opportunity to learn more about the justice and paralegal studies courses offered by the Justice Center.

Prof. Brandeis appointed to Alaska Bar Committee

Prof. Jason Brandeis, Justice faculty, was recently appointed to the Alaska Bar Association Law Related Education (LRE) Committee. The LRE Committee is responsible for presenting programs and producing publications to aid the public in understanding the law and the legal system.

Melissa Green recognized for service to UAA

Melissa Green holding engravedbookends presented in
recognition of 20 years service to UAA.

Melissa S. Green, Justice Center Publications Specialist and web manager, was among the UAA employees recognized for their years of service to the University at the annual Faculty/Staff Convocation held August 18, 2010. Green has worked at the Justice Center for 20 years.

During her time at the Justice Center, she has been primarily responsible for the layout and design of the Alaska Justice Forum, the Justice Center quarterly publication; the Justice Center Research Overviews; and other research reports; and for managing the website. Green developed the Justice Center's website which was launched in December 1995.

Article by Justice Center authors selected for Criminal Justice Policy Review

Dr. Darryl Wood, former Justice faculty now Assistant Professor with Washington State University, Vancouver; Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director; Greg Postle, graduate student at the University of Delaware; and Katherine TePas, State of Alaska Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coordinator, are the authors of the article, "Police Presence, Isolation, and Sexual Assault Prosecution," recently published in the Criminal Justice Policy Review.

The article considers the effects of geographic isolation and local police presence on the processing of 230 sexual assault cases reported to Alaska State Troopers. Policing in rural areas throughout the United States is hindered by geographic isolation. In Alaska, this hindrance is often severe. The authors examined how the Village Public Safety Officer program provides an effective solution to policing in rural areas - areas that lack the resources to have their own policing. Findings show that Village Public Safety Officers facilitate case processing by enhancing the likelihood that referred cases would be accepted for prosecution. However, after accounting for other potential influences, isolation did not impact the likelihood of prosecution. These results provide strong support for the Village Public Safety Officer program and have important implications for all rural areas in the United States.

Criminal Justice Policy Review is a multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal committed to the study of criminal justice policy through quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methodological approaches. The Review is published quarterly.

Justice Forum homeless article cited by Alaska Business Monthly

The article, "A Look at Homelessness in Alaska," which appeared in the Summer 2009 Vol 26(2) of the Alaska Justice Forum, was cited in an op-ed piece in the August 2010 issue of Alaska Business Monthly. The op-ed piece by managing editor Debbie Cutler is titled, "It Can Happen to Anyone. It Can Happen to You."

Justice Center welcomes 2 new faculty

Prof. Troy Payne and Prof. Jason Brandeis have joined the Justice Center faculty as of the Fall 2010 semester.

Jason Brandeis, J.D., joins the Justice Center faculty as an Assistant Professor and will be teaching courses in the justice and paralegal studies programs. During the fall 2009 and spring 2010 semesters, he was an adjunct faculty member and taught justice and paralegal studies courses. Most recently he worked for the Alaska Public Offices Commission as an associate attorney; prior to that, he was a staff attorney for the ACLU of Alaska. His legal experience includes civil, criminal, and appellate work. Prof. Brandeis received his law degree from Vermont Law School.

Troy Payne, graduate of the University of Cincinnati School of Criminal Justice, is joining the Justice Center faculty as an Assistant Professor. He has conducted research on situational crime prevention and has assisted police departments with problem solving and community oriented initiatives. Most recently, his work with the Cincinnati Police Department has focused on crime and nuisances at apartment complexes.

Justice Center readies for campus kickoff 2010

The Justice Center will be participating in the 2010 Campus Kickoff on Saturday, August 21, at 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the UAA Cuddy Quad. Dr. Ron Everett and Prof. Deb Periman, Justice faculty, will be at the Campus Kickoff to speak with students about Justice Center programs and options and to showcase the Justice Center exhibit panels.

This year's Campus Kickoff features food, information booths, prizes, and live entertainment. There will be a comedian at the Wendy Williamson at 7:15 p.m., a volleyball game between the Seawolves and UAA Alumni at 9:00 a.m., and at 12 midnight the Northern Lights Fred Meyer opens to students for 2 hours of shopping.

Fall 2010 tuition waivers

The Justice Center will be offering a limited number of tuition waivers for the Fall 2010 semester. Justice Center tuition waivers are awarded to recognize the student(s) who best represents those qualities we would most like to encourage in our students. These qualities include academic excellence and a willingness and ability to contribute to the field of justice and the program at UAA. Consideration may also be given to student financial need and affirmative action goals.
Note: There are a limited number of tuition waiver credits awarded each academic year. Awarded tuition waiver credits may not cover 100% of tuition costs.

Eligibility

• Must be an official justice major or officially admitted to the paralegal studies certificate program
• Must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.8 or higher
• Must have completed a minimum of 12 credits in the justice major or paralegal studies program
  

Justice Center tuition waiver applications can be picked up in the Justice Center office (Consortium Library, Suite 213) or an application can be filled out and printed online at: http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/justice/finaid.cfm.

All applications must be submitted to the Justice Center office no later than 5:00pm on Monday, August 30, 2010.

Students who have been selected to receive a Fall 2010 tuition waiver will be contacted by September 2, 2010.

Dr. Rivera nominated for Chancellor's Excellence in Research Award

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice faculty, has been nominated for the 2010 Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research by an individual. This is the first year that the award is being given in the category of individual research. The award recognizes an individual for making a significant and positive impact in their field of study and to UAA by participating in research, engagement, or creative activities.

Dr. Rivera was nominated for her outstanding research in domestic violence and in substance abuse issues. She has published seven peer-reviewed articles and 13 reports, and during FY 2010 she produced more externally funded research than any other professor in the Justice Center. Her work embraces the health and safety of Alaskan communities, and she collaborates with community partners, colleagues, and researchers across many disciplines to improve the quality of life throughout the state. Dr. Rivera joined the Justice Center in 2007.

Dr. Rivera is one of six nominees. The winner will be announced at the Faculty/Staff Convocation, August 18, at the Wendy Williamson Auditorium.

Dr. Chamard's Mat-Su Survey highlighted in The Northern Light

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, was interviewed about the "The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Survey, 2009" for the July 27, 2010 issue of The Northern Light , the UAA student newspaper. Dr. Chamard is the principal researcher for this ongoing survey project which asks residents about their level of satisfaction with various borough services and other issues.