Alaska Justice Forum 22(4), Winter 2006

Complete issue in Adobe Acrobat PDF format

Moras, Antonia. (Winter 2006). "Language Interpretation and the Justice System." Alaska Justice Forum 22(4): 1, 5-8. In 1995, F.C., a native of the Dominican Republic who spoke little English, was convicted of a felony drug offense. Facing deportation, he applied for post-conviction relief, and in the course of his case it was discovered that language interpretation during his trial was innacurate at several crucial points, resulting in F.C. not being properly informed of his right to testify in his own defense. The F.C. case illustrated how the absence of accurate and reliable language interpretation in legal situations can result in serious mistakes. Tthe problems raised by the absence of effective interpretation and translation in the courts, and in other criminal and civil justice situations, seem to be growing, both in Alaska and throughout the country. The problem is not limited to criminal cases: civil cases—child custody, domestic violence restraining order petitions, child-in-need-of-aid—also often require interpreters. The Alaska Supreme Court Fairness and Access Study, released in 1997, noted the widespread need for better interpretation services in Alaska courts and with other agencies. The court system is now leading efforts to establish a language interpretation center to forestall problems such as those that arose in the F.C. case.

Justice Center, University of Alaska Anchorage. (Winter 2006). "Other Alaska Justice Forum Articles on Language Interpretation in the Alaska Criminal Justice System." Alaska Justice Forum 22(4): 7. A brief bibliography of articles on legal interpretation in the Alaska justice system that have appeared in the Alaska Justice Forum.

Justice Center, University of Alaska Anchorage. (Winter 2006). "Sexual Assaults in Anchorage." Alaska Justice Forum 22(4): 2-3. Information from four years of police fles shows that the problem of sexual assault in Anchorage has discernible contours: most assaults take place indoors, between people who are not strangers to each other, with either or both parties having consumed alcohol. This article provides an overview of reported sexual assaults in the city from 2000 through 2003 using data from a recently-completed report which updates an earlier study released in 2003.

Justice Center, University of Alaska Anchorage. (Winter 2006). "Alaska Justice System Operating Expenditures." Alaska Justice Forum 22(4): 4. This article briefly describes changes in Alaska justice system operating expenses from fiscal year 1990 to fiscal year 2006. During this time, expenditures have increased 69 percent. The rise was dominated by an increase in the budget of the Alaska Department of Corrections, which almost doubled between FY 1990 and FY 2006.

Justice Center, University of Alaska Anchorage. (Winter 2006). "Justice Center Evaluates SCRAM." Alaska Justice Forum 22(4): 8. Two and a half years of data on the Secure Remote Alcohol Monitoring (SCRAM) project show that the technology of ankle bracelet alcohol monitoring—which monitors wearers' alcohol consumption through transdermal analysis—can function effectively in Alaska.