Prof. Brandeis profiled in The Northern Light

Prof. Jason Brandeis, Justice faculty, is the focus of an article, " 'Bong hits 4 Jesus' lawyer joins UAA," in the student newspaper, The Northern Light, August 31, 2010 issue. Prof. Brandeis has been an adjunct faculty member teaching paralegal studies and justice courses, and was appointed a full-time faculty member beginning in the Fall 2010 semester.

Dr. Chamard completes "train the trainer" Neighborhood Watch program

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, recently completed a two-day "train the trainer" course for Neighborhood Watch. The course was hosted by the Anchorage Police Department and presented by the National Sheriffs' Association.

The National Sheriff's Association in partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice has created Neighborhood Watch training targeted at law enforcement officers and citizen coordinators. This training emphasizes crime prevention and also includes homeland security issues.

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."