Drs. Garcia and Rivera publish article in Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Dr. Gabriel Garcia, UAA Department of Health Sciences and Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice Center faculty, published the article, "Is Race a Factor in Disparate Health Problems Associated with Violence Against Women?," in the current issue of the Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice, Vol. 7, Issue 7, 2014.

In this article, they noted that "[r]esearch studies examining the health correlates of violence against women have consistently demonstrated associations between violence and poor health outcomes, but have not examined a disparate impact on racial minorities.... This study found that victimization increased the odds of health problems for all women, but significantly more so for minority women."

Published by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice is a refereed online journal that explores the dimensions of health disparities globally.

Fact Sheet data on firearm use in violent crimes noted in Alaska Dispatch News story about spike in Anchorage shootings

Data from the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center (AJSAC) Fact Sheet, "Firearm Use in Violent Crime in the U.S. and Alaska, 1985-2012," was noted in an Alaska Dispatch News article about recent shootings in Anchorage.

The Fact Sheet presents national and statewide statistics from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports program on the use of firearms in the commission of three violent crimes — homicide (murder and nonnegligent manslaughter), robbery, and aggravated assault — in the U.S. and Alaska from 1985 to 2012. Khristy Parker, Research Professional, is the Fact Sheet author. In the article she "noted the fact sheet references specific violent crimes — robberies, homicides, aggravated assaults -- and does not offer a complete picture [of firearm use in all crimes]."

Read the Alaska Dispatch article:
"Spike in violent crime to be met by police shakedowns" by Jerzy Shedlock. Alaska Dispatch News, 29 Jan 2015.

Dr. Blumenstein publishes article in Criminal Justice Studies journal

Dr. Lindsey Blumenstein, Justice faculty, published an article, "Intimate Partner Assault and Structural-Level Correlates of Crime: Exploring the Relationship between Contextual Factors and Intimate Partner Violence," in the recent online issue of Criminal Justice Studies: A Critical Journal of Crime, Law and Society.  Her co-author is Dr. Jana L. Jasinski, University of Central Florida.

This study examined intimate partner aggravated assaults in 227 counties in Tennessee and Virginia. The authors noted that" [s]pecifically, the current study presents a descriptive picture of intimate partner violence from a police perspective, and investigates the relationship between structural-level factors and the criminal offense intimate partner aggravated assault....Concentrated disadvantage, immigrant concentration, and urbanity were all significantly associated with intimate partner assaults in the expected directions [greater frequency]."

Criminal Justice Studies is a quarterly journal that publishes theoretical, empirical and interpretive studies of crime and criminal justice, with a focus on multi-disciplinary research 

Dr. Payne publishes book review in Security Journal

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, published a book review in the current issue of Security Journal, Vol. 28, Issue 1, 2015.

His review discusses Policing Problem Places: Crime Hot Spots and Effective Prevention, edited by Michael Tonry and Norval Morris.  Dr. Payne notes that this book is "best understood as a summary of the existing research regarding geographically focused or ‘hot spots’ policing. While the book offers few new insights for readers familiar with the original research, this is the first time the research on hot spots has been collected and presented as one coherent whole."

Security Journal publishes the latest developments and techniques in security management and is a resource for security researchers and professionals.

Prof. Brandeis provides pro bono legal assistance at Martin Luther King Day legal clinic

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Legal Studies faculty in the Justice Center, was one of the many volunteer attorneys who provided legal advice on January 19 to Alaskans at the 6th Annual Martin Luther King Day free legal clinic in Anchorage.  Free legal clinics were also held in Fairbanks and Juneau, and for the first time, a free 800 number was available for individuals outside of those 3 cities to speak to a volunteer attorney over the phone.

Statewide over 150 lawyers and legal professionals volunteered at this event in 2015. Over the past six years, the legal clinics and phone bank have assisted nearly 2,000 Alaskans - resulting in more than $320,000 in donated legal services.

This clinic is a public service project of the Alaska Bar Association, Alaska Court System, Alaska Legal Services Corporation, and Alaska Public Media.

Prof. Brandeis advises a client
at the legal clinic.

Justice minor Kiana Morris is off to Juneau as a legislative intern

Kiana Morris
(Photo by Philip Hall/ UAA)

Kiana Morris, Political Science major/Justice minor, is one of five UAA students who will spend the spring semester in Juneau as legislative aides.

Kiana grew up in a small town in Minnesota. She chose UAA because the political science program here (she’s a political science major/justice minor) included this legislative internship program. “Lots of political science programs don’t offer anything like this,” she said. Alaska’s small population size makes this sort of up-close engagement possible, she said.

The other UAA students are German Baquero, Mark Simon, Kevin Prestegard and Trevor Gutierrez.

Read about all the legislative aides:

"Postcards Home: Meet the UAA crew head to Juneau as legislative interns." Seawolf Weekly, 7 Jan 2015.

Alaska State Capitol Building

Students in Prof. Wolfe's Intro to Forensic Science class get hands-on experience making impressions of shoe prints

Prof. Jim Wolfe, adjunct faculty in the Justice Center, had students in his fall 2014 JUST 310 Introduction to Forensic Science class get some hands-on experience making shoe prints.

The photos below show students first making test impressions on paper and then using black fingerprint powder to bring up the impressions.

 

Students make test impressions on paper.

Students brush black fingerprint powder on test impressions
to bring out the detail.

Bringing up more test impressions.

UAA's winning gymnastics team and Morgan Cook, team co-captain and Justice minor, featured in Seawolf Weekly

Morgan Cook, team co-captain, in a meet against Winona State.
(Photo by Sam Wasson/UAA Athletics)

Morgan Cook, Justice minor and a senior in her fourth and final season with the Seawolves Gymnastics team, is featured along with her teammate Simone Penker in the January 14 issue of the Seawolf Weekly Special Edition.The story highlights the new facilities for gymnasts in the Alaska Airlines Center and the new routines the team is developing.

Read the full story:
"UAA's gymnasts have upgraded" by Jamie Gonzales, UAA Office of Advancement. 14 Jan 2015.

UAA-Willamette law school partnership was one of most viewed stories in 2014 on UAA website

UAA and Willamette University College of Law signed a memorandum of understanding to offer a 3+3 program allowing students to complete a bachelor’s degree and a law degree in 6 years, rather than the usual 7. This story was one of the top 10 stories viewed on the UAA website in 2014. Click here for all the top 10 stories.

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator at the UAA Justice Center, worked with Willamette to develop the 3+3 program and is UAA’s point of contact for program advising.

Prof. Wolfe presents on photographing and casting snow impression evidence at International Association of Identification

Prof. Wolfe at his presentation.

Prof. Jim Wolfe, adjunct faculty in the Justice Center, presented on "Photographing and Casting Snow Impression Evidence" at the 99th International Association of Identification (IAI) Educational Conference in Minneapolis in August 2014.

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

He teaches JUST 255 Criminal Investigation and JUST 310 Introduction to Forensic Science at the Justice Center.

The IAI website notes that the organization "has grown into the most prestigious professional association of its kind in the world, with more than 6,700 members from the United States and many other countries. The advancement of forensic disciplines through education continues to be one of the top priorities of the Association."