Dr. Rivera and Dr. Garcia present research at 20th IEA World Congress of Epidemiology

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice Center faculty, and Dr. Gabriel Garcia, UAA Department of Health Sciences, have had their collaborative research,  "Is Race a Factor in Disparate Health Problems Associated with Violent Victimization in Alaska?," accepted for presentation at a poster session for the 20th IEA World Congress of Epidemiology in Anchorage, August 17 - 21, 2014.

This year's conference theme is "Global Epidemiology in a Changing Environment: The Circumpolar Perspective." Dr. Rivera and Dr. Garcia will present their poster at 3:00 p.m. on August 20.

The mission of the International Epidemiological Association  (IEA) is to facilitate communication among individuals engaged in research and the teaching of epidemiology worldwide, and to foster the use of epidemiology in all fields of health including social, community, and preventative medicine.

Prof. Brandeis interviewed by Bloomberg BNA Report for article on same-sex property tax exemption

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Justice Center Legal Studies faculty, was interviewed for an article in the Bloomberg BNA Tax Management Weekly State Tax Report, an online subscription service.

In the article, "Same-Sex Couples Entitled to Full Homestead Exemptions in Alaska Despite Marriage Ban," Prof. Brandeis notes," ...these cases show that this is beyond an ideological debate — limiting the types of legal relationships that people can have has serious social and economic consequences."

Prof. Brandeis teaches constitutional law and civil liberties courses, and is a frequent speaker on constitutional law issues. 

Prof. Knudsen publishes article in Alaska Law Review

Prof. Kristin Knudsen Latta, J.D., Justice Center Legal Studies faculty, has had an article published in the June 2014 issue of the Alaska Law Review.  The article is titled, "The Role of Non-Lawyers on Administrative Tribunals: What Lay Members Think About Law, Lawyers, and Their Own Participation in Alaska’s Mixed Administrative Tribunals."

Prof. Knudsen conducted the first survey study of Alaska non-lawyer members who serve on adjudicatory tribunals, and examined the members' perspective of serving on tribunals. In this article, she describes her research which focused on tribunals' gender and ethnic diversity, members' understanding of fairness and impartiality, their duties and training, and the relationship of non-lawyer members with administrative law judges. Among her findings, she noted that citizens appointed to quasi-judicial boards and commissions take their role in forming the law of their tribunal seriously, but report the need for more training.  Her article includes recommendations for training, recruitment, and diversity in appointments.

2014 Justice Center Bike to Work Team pedals in the sunshine

L to r: Dr. Troy Payne, Tuyet Tran, Amy Perkins, Charlotte Titus.

Anchorage's 10th Annual Bike to Work Day was held on Wednesday, June 4. This year's Justice Center Bike to Work Team basked in the sun as they pedaled to work.  Riders for 2014 included Dr. Troy Payne, Tuyet Tran, Amy Perkins, and Charlotte Titus.

The UAA Office of Sustainability and UAA Student Activities hosted a free BBQ for all the UAA riders.

Dr. Jane Palmer of American University speaks to UAA researchers June 25 about vicarious trauma

Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice Center faculty, has invited Dr. Jane Palmer, American University School of Public Affairs, a noted researcher in the area of vicarious trauma training, to speak to UAA researchers involved with trauma material.  A roundtable discussion will follow her presentation.

Date: Wednesday, June 25
Time: 111:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Place: UAA/APU Consortium Library LIB 214
R.S.V.P.: Dr. Brad Myrstol bamyrstol@uaa.alaska.edu
(A light lunch will be served.)

If you or the members of your research team conduct research that involves trauma material, or if you anticipate engaging in such research in the future, you are encouraged to attend and join the conversation.

Justice majors and their work on UAA Says NO MORE highlighted in Anchorage Daily News article

L to r: Simona Gerdts and Kristen Speyerer wearing t-shirts
with the NO MORE logo.
(photo by Philip Hall, University of Alaska)

Simona Gerdts and Kristen Speyerer, Justice majors/Legal Studies minors, received their BAs in Justice in May 2014.  The UAA Says NO MORE campaign was part of their degree capstone project with the UAA Center for Community Engagement and Learning (CCEL).

As part of the project, they worked to co-brand the campaign with the "NO MORE" national campaign  — a nationwide effort to increase greater awareness and action to end domestic violence and sexual assault. Their work was highlighted in a recent Anchorage Daily News article by Kathleen McCoy of the UAA Advancement office. See below to read the article:

"Hometown U: Busy seniors launch campaign against domestic violence, sexual assault" by Kathleen McCoy. Anchorage Daily News, 24 May 2014.

The UAA Says NO MORE campaign continues to gain momentum, and has been added to the growing list of organizations, clubs, and nonprofits that are uniting to end domestic violence and sexual assault.  UAA says NO MORE will now be known as the UAA NO MORE Alliance.

Prof. Fortson's JUST 487 students present mock oral arguments to Alaska Court of Appeals Judge Mannheimer

Before oral argument.  Front row l to r: Reginald Silvernail, Rebecca Hartley,
Stacy Wilson, Judith Stefchak, Jamaar Brown. Back row l to r: Simona Gerdts, Kayla Wilke, William Honeycutt,
Judge David Mannheimer, Prof. Ryan Fortson, Joshua Spring. Not pictured: Abbie Lawley.

Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D., Ph.D., Justice Center Legal Studies faculty, held mock oral arguments in his Justice 487 - Trial and Advanced Litigation Processes course as the final project of the 2014 spring semester.  Students participated in a  moot court  - a mock appellate court proceeding which involves the presentation of oral argument before a judge or a panel of judges.

Students prepared arguments for two hypothetical cases.  Their arguments were presented before Alaska Court of Appeals Judge David Mannheimer who rendered a decision after each case was presented.

Prior to the oral arguments, students prepared briefs on their cases and submitted them to their opposing counsel team and to Prof. Fortson and Judge Mannheimer. Earlier in the semester, the students also participated in a simulated trial, conducting opening statements, direct and cross examinations, and closing arguments. 

Justice Center first UAA unit to have research published on ScholarWorks@UA

ScholarWorks@UA, the statewide online institutional repository for digital copies of research and scholarship by University of Alaska (UA) faculty, staff, and students, launched in September 2013. This website provides free, public access to digital documents.

The Justice Center is the first unit at UAA to have its research published on ScholarWorks@UA.

The UA campuses in Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Southeast are the primary participants in this first phase, and research from other campuses will be added in the future.

 UAA content is being added by Erik Carlson, Metadata Librarian, UAA/APU Consortium Library. Justice Center publications now on the site include:

• Alaska Justice Forum, vol. 8 (1991) through vol. 30, no. 3 (Winter 2014) 
• Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC) Fact Sheets, 2012-01 through 2013-05 

Click here for ScholarWorks@ UA https://scholarworks.alaska.edu/

The Justice Center is a member of  the UA Institutional Repository Review Advisory Board which reviewed the development of the site.  Stephen Rollins, Dean of the UAA/APU Consortium Library; Rebecca Moorman,  Head of Technical Services, Consortium Library; and Barbara Armstrong, Alaska Justice Forum editor, UAA Justice Center, represent UAA on the board.

Dr. Lepage and Prof. Knudsen speak at Law and Society Conference

L to r: Prof. Knudsen, J.D. and Dr. Lepage at the conference.

Dr. Cory Lepage and Prof. Kristin Knudsen, J.D., Justice Center faculty, made presentations at the 2014 Law & Society Conference in Minneapolis on May 28 - June 1:

• "The Strength of the Ox: Self-Perceptions of Professionalism and Legitimacy among Lay Judges in the Rural U.S." Prof. Kristin Knudsen, M.J.S., J.D., and Dr. Cory Lepage, co-authors.  Presented by Prof. Kristin Knudsen.

• "Conceptualizations of Justice by Adjudicators: An Examination of Perceptions and Satisfaction by Justices in Rural Courts."   Presented by Dr. Cory Lepage, author.
  

• Panel: Exploring Methods in the Study of Access to Justice. Dr. Cory Lepage, Chair

The Law and Society Association, founded in 1964, is a group of scholars from many fields and countries, interested in the place of law in social, political, economic and cultural life. Members bring training in law, sociology, political science, psychology, anthropology, economics, and history as well as in other related areas to the study of sociolegal phenomena.  

Dr. Rosay appointed to Dept. of Justice National Indian Country Training Initiative Working Group

Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director, has been appointed by the U.S. Department of Justice National Indian Country Training Initiative to serve on the Working Group on Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Human Trafficking Involving Alaska Natives.

The Department of Justice launched the National Indian Country Training Initiative in 2010 to ensure that federal prosecutors, as well as state and tribal criminal justice personnel, receive the training and support needed to address the challenges of Indian country prosecutions.