Justice Center

On April 22, the Society of Law & Justice will be hosting its last on-campus event for the semester with a presentation from Greg Bourke. Greg and his husband, Michael, were plaintiffs in the SCOTUS case of Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), which recognized same-sex marriage in the U.S. under the Fourteenth Amendment. It will be a great opportunity to hear a firsthand account of the dynamics of a landmark SCOTUS case. All are welcome to attend! The event will be held at PSB 166 from noon to 1 p.m.

The Domestic Violence in Alaska report by the Alaska Criminal Justice Commission has been published!

Justice Center assistant professor Ingrid Johnson shared results from the Alaska Victimization Survey (AVS)—including comparing victimization rates across 2010, 2015, and 2020—with the Alaska House Judiciary Committee to help inform decisions on addressing the problems of intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women in the state.

What a night for the Society of Law & Justice! SLJ held a spring social event on March 28 at PSB 166 that featured two guest speakers from the legal field, a donation drive, free swag, and free pizza. With the pandemic still ongoing, many UAA students have never met their professors in person. This social event was a wonderful way for Justice Center faculty, staff, and students to come together and meet each other. It also was a great opportunity for prospective students to learn more about the Justice and Legal Studies programs. Read more here.

The College of Health Student Success Center is offering scholarships to eligible students who register for the Race, Equal Protection, and the Law (LEGL A312, CRN 53079) course this summer! The first 10 to register will receive $500, and the remaining 15 slots will receive $250!⁠ Examine how U.S. law both shapes and reacts to questions of race while exploring a comparative analysis with respect to other legally protected classifications. Course topics include slavery and its abolishment, racial discrimination and affirmative action, voting rights, American Indian and Alaska Native rights, gender discrimination, and the rights of immigrants and the disabled.⁠ Register now!

To be eligible for administration scholarships, students must be:⁠

1. enrolled in classes for the semester in which an award is being made;⁠
2. admitted into a UAA degree or certificate program;⁠
3. making satisfactory academic progress; and⁠
4. meeting UAA cumulative GPA minimums of 3.0 for a graduate program, 2.8 for a college or other academic unit award for undergraduate students, and 2.5 for administrative waivers for undergraduate students.⁠

For questions regarding the course and the scholarship: hrfortson@alaska.edu⁠ 

The Justice Center participated the 2022 College of Health Academic Preview Day on March 18 at the UAA Professional Studies Building. Repesenting the Justice Center was Director Dr. Brad Myrstol as he spoke to high school students about the Justice and Legal Studies programs; student organizations such as the Society of Law & Justice and Alphi Phi Sigma; as well as other student opportunities such as internships.

The House on Wednesday voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act as part of its proposed $1.5 trillion spending package that includes $73.4 million for urban Indian health and $6.6 billion for Indian Health Services.⁠ ⁠“I live in a beautiful state, but we have an ongoing crisis of violence in Alaska,” Sen. Murkowski said during the bill’s introduction last month on Capitol Hill. “More than half of Alaska women surveyed in the 2020 Alaska Victimization Survey have experienced intimate partner violence, sexual violence, or both in their lifetime. It is imperative that we address these issues.”⁠

Legal Studies program students of the UAA Justice Center met with Willamette College of Law Dean Brian Gallini over pizza on March 3 to discuss the law school application process and the "4+3" Direct Admission Program, which is an inspiring partnership between UAA and Willamette Law that offers successful UAA students the security of knowing that if they meet pre-defined admissions requirements, they will be granted admission to law school.⁠

The UAA Society of Law & Justice recently released the March 2022 edition of their newsletter, which includes information about the club, a profile for each of the club officers, and details about upcoming events. Email uaaslj@gmail.com to grab your copy today! 

In mid-February, students in UAA legal studies professor Dr. Ryan Fortson's Trial and Advanced Litigation course (LEGL A487) had the opportunity to practice arguing a motion in front of a U.S. District Court judge in his courtroom in the James M. Fitzgerald U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building in downtown Anchorage.⁠ View the slideshow!

In the summer of 2021, the Oxygen channel visited Alaska to film a true crime series on homicide and violence against women in Alaska. The film crew interviewed Dr. Ingrid Johnson, Justice Center assistant professor, to give background information on crime and other relevant cultural dynamics.⁠ ⁠ The series was released under the title "Fatal Frontier: Evil in Alaska" in November 2021.