Labor Day closure on September 2

The UAA campus and the Justice Center will be closed Monday, September 2, in observance of Labor Day.

The Justice Center will reopen on Tuesday, September 3 at 8:00 a.m. However, there will be no classes that day.

Have a safe and healthy Labor Day!

Dr. Chamard interviewed on KRUA radio program "Informania" about research on homelessness and homeless encampments

Dr. Sharon Chamard

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, was interviewed July 8 on KRUA 88.1 The Edge - the UAA student radio station - on "Informania."  The program host is Deb the Librarian, aka Professor Deborah Mole, Liaison Librarian to the Journalism & Public Communications Department.

The interview included discussion of Dr. Chamard's research on homelessness and homeless encampments, and crimes against business; the courses she teaches; and her public service activities.

"Informania" is a weekly interview show that helps satisfy the need for information. Prof. Mole also selects music to match the theme of the program. Get more information and an archive of past interviews on her blog - "Deb's Informania Radio Show."

AJSAC releases Fact Sheet on the operating budgets of Alaska criminal justice agencies, FY 2001–2013

The Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC) has released, "Alaska Criminal Justice Agency Operating Budgets, 2001–2013,"  number 13-07 in the Fact Sheet publication series.

The July 2013 issue of the AJSAC Fact Sheet presents data on operating budgets enacted by the Alaska Legislature for six key criminal justice agencies from state fiscal years 2001 to 2013. These agencies include the Department of Corrections, Department of Public Safety, Alaska Court System, Division of Juvenile Justice, Criminal Divison of the Department of Law, and Legal and Advocacy Services within the Department of Administration (including the Office of Public Advocacy, the Public Defender Agency, and the Violent Crimes Compensation Board). The budget information presented reflects appropriations rather than actual agency expenditures. The report examines increases in budget allocations for the six agencies and the criminal justice budget as a percentage of the overall statewide operating budget over the 13-year period. The Fact Sheet is by Dr. Brad A. Myrstol, director of the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center.

Dr. Chamard attends AAUP training in Seattle

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, attended the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) Collective Bargaining Chapter Summer Institute in July in Seattle.

She is a member of the UAA Representative Assembly, United Academics Local 4996.

Dr. Chamard attended sessions on faculty handbooks, how to access institutional data through the AAUP website, and online education.

Four individuals from Justice Center nominated for 2013 Chancellor's Awards for Excellence

Two faculty members and two staff members from the Justice Center have been nominated for 2013 Chancellor's Awards for Excellence:

• Dr. Brad Myrstol - Associate Professor - For Excellence in  Research/Creative Activity
• Prof. Deb Periman, J.D. - Associate Professor - For Excellence in Service to the Community
• Barbara Armstrong - Research Associate - For Staff Excellence
• Tuyet Tran - Academic Program Specialist - For Staff Excellence in Service to Students

The Chancellor's Awards promote excellence in what we do and recognize individuals and groups for their exceptional service to the university community.

There are group and individual awards in nine categories.  Winners will be announced at the September 20 Faculty and Staff Convocation at the Wendy Williamson Auditorium.

AJSAC awarded grant for Alaska Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Case Processing Project

Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice Center faculty and Director of the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC), received a research grant award in the amount of $79,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics.

The grant funds will be used to support a new AJSAC research initiative called the Alaska Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Case Processing Project, a collaborative project with the Alaska Department of Public Safety, the Alaska Department of Law, and the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Juvenile Justice.

The primary objective of the project is to empirically document the criminal justice case processing and outcomes of sexual assault, sexual abuse of a minor, and domestic violence cases in the state of Alaska. In coming years, Dr. Myrstol intends to expand the project to include additional Alaska police agencies.

A portion of the grant award will also go toward the continued participation of the AJSAC in the nationwide Arrest-related Deaths (ARD) data collection project, which is a component of the larger Bureau of Justice Statistics Deaths in Custody Reporting Program (DCRP).

The AJSAC is housed at the UAA Justice Center. For more information about AJSAC research projects and publications, please visit the AJSAC website.

Dr. Myrstol interviewed by Alaska Dispatch about new state plea bargain plan

Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice faculty and Director of the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC), was interviewed recently by Jill Burke for an Alaska Dispatch article, "Will Alaska's plea bargain plan serve justice, or cause it to grind to a halt?" posted online August 13.

The article looks at the impact banning plea bargains for serious cases will have on the entire justice system.  Dr. Myrstol comments on the critical role of plea bargaining in managing court caseload.

Don't miss the Justice Center booth at the 2013 Campus Kickoff on Saturday, August 24, at the Cuddy Quad!

The Justice Center will be at the 2013 Campus Kickoff on Saturday, August 24, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the Cuddy Quad.  Faculty members will be at the Justice Center booth to speak with students about our courses and options, including the new Legal Studies program.

This year's Campus Kickoff features food, information booths, prizes, and live entertainment. Don't miss "Butt Sketcher" - the original butt sketch artist, and the tunes of  "Buckwheat Zydeco"!  See you there!

Save the date! College of Health hosts August 21 workshop on recruiting diverse faculty with Dr. Uma Jayakumar of USF

The College of Health (COH) and Alaska WWAMI are hosting a program for UAA faculty and staff on recruiting and retaining diverse faculty - "Is 'Critical Mass' Necessary for Fostering Educational Benefits and Student Success?"

Date: Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Where: PSB 166, UAA Main Campus
Speaker: Dr. Uma Jayakumar, University of San Francisco

Dr. Uma Jayakumar, USF

Noted diversity scholar Dr. Uma Jayakumar of the University of San Francisco will discuss the shifting landscape of diversity scholarship, including the question of "critical mass," her scholarship impacting the U.S. Supreme Court's recent diversity case, Fisher v. University of Texas (2013), and the function of affirmative action post-Fisher.

Her presentation will also include a faculty/staff workshop  to assist units in developing strategies for recruiting and retaining diverse faculty and staff.


Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Justice faculty, chairs the COH Diversity Committee.

Prof. Wolfe presents forensic light source on behalf of Swedish forensic scientist to UAF CTC Law Enforcement Academy

Prof. Jim Wolfe, Justice adjunct faculty, teaches twice yearly at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Community and Technical College (UAF CTC) Law Enforcement Academy. This spring he presented a Versa Light - a special forensic light source -  to the academy on behalf of Swedish forensic scientist Kjell Carlsson whose company invented and donated the light.

Foreground L to r: At the May 2013 course, Prof. Wolfe presents the donated Versa Light to Dusty Johnson, Coordinator,
UAF CTC Law Enforcement Academy, while academy students look on.

Mr. Carlsson visited Alaska and spoke to Prof. Wolfe's "Criminal Investigation" class in 2012. He specializes in developing innovative tools for forensic investigation and has worked for the Stockholm Police Crime Lab and the Swedish National Crime Lab. 

The light source has two types of light: white light for searching for and photographing physical evidence, and blue-green light for searching for biological fluids and other fluorescent-types of evidence.

Prof. Wolfe is a former forensic scientist with the Alaska Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory, and is currently a forensic consultant and trainer.