Justice Center and community partners address youth violence issues

The Justice Center work on anti-gang and youth violence policy initiatives is noted in the just released Report of the Tri-Borough Anti-Gang and Youth Violence Policy Team and Anchorage United for Youth. As a member of the Tri-Borough Anti-Gang and Youth Violence Policy Team, the Justice Center assisted in identifying 10 recommendations for studying and dealing with youth violence.

The Justice Center has been particularly involved with the Anchorage Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) Initiative and headed a research project which involved “community mapping of part of Anchorage that showed high rates of minority overrepresentation in referrals to the juvenile justice system.”

As part of its continuing work on these issues, the Justice Center is assisting in the development of “effective intervention for delinquent and disengaged youth.” The Justice Center evaluation team has been instrumental in “setting benchmarks and identifying measureable areas for both program and population success,” and is involved in “ongoing consultation for evaluation and implementation of the United Way-led Results Based Accountability approach.”

Alaska Justice Forum Reprints: 5 new issues on violence against women

The Justice Center has released five more issues in its new series of publications, Alaska Justice Forum Reprints, which reprints selected articles originally published in the Alaska Justice Forum. Release of the first four issues was announced on March 3.

The five new issues deal with issues relating to violence against women, sexual assault, and sex offenders:

• "Recidivism of Alaska Sex Offenders" by Alan R. McKelvie [Note: this article has been removed to data issues.]
• "Sexual Assault Case Processing: A Descriptive Model of Attrition and Decision Making" by G. Matthew Snodgrass
• "Sexual Assaults in Anchorage"
• "Forcible Rapes and Sexual Assaults in Anchorage" by André Rosay
• "Disposition of Sexual Assault Cases"

Justice Center article on death penalty cited in Anchorage Daily News opinion piece

A history of capital punishment in Alaska by Melissa Green, a publication specialist at the Justice Center, was cited in an opinion piece by UAA history professor Steve Haycox, “Reason argues against death penalty," which appeared in the March 6, 2009 edition of the Anchorage Daily News.

The history referred to by Dr. Haycox is "A History of the Death Penalty in Alaska," which Green wrote in 2001 based on previously published research by Anchorage attorney Averil Lerman, the Alaska Legislative Research Agency, historian K.S. Kynell, and other sources.

The history is part of the Justice Center's "Focus on the Death Penalty" website, an educational resource that "is not intended to take sides in the debate on the death penalty. Rather, its purpose is to give as full a picture as possible, using existing Internet resources, of the complex issues surrounding capital punishment and its application." The site is in the process of being updated.

Justice Center data on sexual assaults cited in Anchorage Press

Data analyzed by Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Interim Director, is featured in an article in the March 4, 2009 issue of the Anchorage Press. The article "Closing Time" by Scott Christiansen discusses how some bar owners and members of the Anchorage Assembly are seeking the passage of a "safe hour" ordinance, which would keep bars open one hour past last call (with no further alcohol served) to allow patrons time to arrange a safe ride home.

Underlying all this is a very real problem, backed by statistics from the Anchorage Police Department analyzed by the Justice Center of University of Alaska-Anchorage. Victims do meet rapists in bars, says André Rosay, a researcher at the center. He says a majority of the sexual assaults occur on weekend nights between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., and he says victims often accepted a ride home from their assailant.

"While we don't have any empirical evidence of that, I think if you talk to APD officers you will find, anecdotally, that (accepting a ride) is a common occurrence," Rosay says.

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.

Walt Monegan to address Justice Club on March 20

Walt Monegan, former Commissioner of Public Safety, will address the Justice Club:

Friday, March 20, 2009
1:00 p.m.
Rasmuson Hall 101

Mr. Monegan will discuss his varied experience in state government and public safety, and share his perspective on justice issues. A 32-year veteran of the Anchorage Police Department, Mr. Monegan served as its chief from 2001 to 2006 prior to his service as Commission of Public Safety. He is currently a candidate for mayor of Anchorage.

For more information about the Justice Club, see the Justice Club home page.

Dr. Barnes nominated for Faculty Exemplar Award

Dr. Allan Barnes, Justice Center faculty, has been nominated for a Faculty Exemplar Award from the UAA Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship. These awards recognize faculty members who have demonstrated long-term, exemplary mentoring of undergraduate research and creative projects, and whose contributions to student success are hallmarks of inspired teaching and active learning.

New publication: Alaska Justice Forum Reprints

The Justice Center has launched a new series of publications, Alaska Justice Forum Reprints. Selected articles originally published in the Alaska Justice Forum will appear as single reprints.

There are currently four reprints available, all dealing with violence against women issues:

• "Case Attrition of Sexual Violence Offenses: Empirical Findings" by Darryl S. Wood and André B. Rosay
• "Sexual Assaults Reported to Alaska State Troopers" André B. Rosay, Greg Postle, Darryl S. Wood, and Katherine TePas
• "Stalking in Alaska" André B. Rosay, Greg Postle, Katherine TePas, and Darryl Wood
• "Assaults in Domestic Violence Incidents Reported to Alaska State Troopers" Marny Rivera, André B. Rosay, Darryl S. Wood, Greg Postle, and Katherine TePas

Additional reprints are in preparation, and will be available soon.

Justice Club meetings for Spring 2009 semester

The Justice Club now has a regular meeting place and time for the rest of the Spring 2009 semester:

Day: Every Monday
Time: 4:00 PM
Room: SSB 253

For more information about the Justice Club, see the Justice Club home page.

Summer 2009 course offerings

The Justice Center's schedule of Summer 2009 course offerings is now online in PDF format. Courses to be offered this summer include:

• JUST/BA 241 — Business Law I
• JUST/BA 242 — Business Law II
• JUST/PS 343 — Constitutional Law
• JUST 365 — Comparative Justice Systems
• JUST 490 — Cont. Justice Issues: Alaska Natives & Environmental Law
• JUST 490 — History of Crime and Justice