Resource Library

Responsible Use of Open-Access Developmental Data: the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (abcd) Study

This article outlines best practices for using open-access developmental data responsibly. It emphasizes considering social context, developmental processes, and data limitations when conducting research.

The Law, the Science, and the Logic of Ending the Teenage Death Penalty

The Eighth Amendment requires criminal punishment to fit the crime and offender, serving legitimate goals like retribution and deterrence. Its interpretation evolves with societal standards of decency.

Emotional Conflict and Trauma: The Recovery of Stolen Memory Using a Mixed-Methods Approach

This study investigates how the community of Portomarín, forcibly relocated in 1963, perceives its local heritage. It analyzes how heritage education can help residents manage their traumatic history and build identity.

Black Girls and the Pipeline from Sexual Abuse to Sexual Exploitation to Prison

This chapter explores how sexual abuse can lead Black girls into a "pipeline" from exploitation to prison. It examines the unique racial and gender challenges they face, focusing on how schools and society often fail to support them.

“Some Mother's Child Has Gone Astray”: Neuroscientific Approaches to a Therapeutic Jurisprudence Model of Juvenile Sentencing

Juvenile brains are not fully developed by age 18, raising questions about sentencing. This evidence conflicts with public pressure for harsh punishments, underscoring a need for legal reform prioritizing psychological well-being.

Neural Correlates of Emotional Reactivity and Regulation in Traumatized North Korean Refugees

Refugees often experience mental health problems like depression, anxiety, and PTSD due to traumatic events. This study aims to understand how traumatized refugees process and regulate emotions by examining their brain activity.

Associations Between Memory Loss and Trauma in US Asylum Seekers: A Retrospective Review of Medico-Legal Affidavits

Asylum seekers often lack physical evidence for their claims, making credibility assessments based on their testimony crucial. This study explores how trauma affects memory and presentation of accounts among asylum seekers.

Asylum-Seeking Children in Shutdown: Neurobiological Models

Asylum-seeking children in Australian detention facilities have developed a shutdown state from trauma. They exhibit symptoms like refusing to eat, drink, or speak, becoming unresponsive to their families and surroundings.

Neurobiology of alcohol seeking behavior

Relapse is a major challenge in addiction treatment, with many people experiencing it within three months of abstinence. Researchers use animal models to study relapse triggers like stress, cues, and small alcohol re-exposure.

Opioid-Induced Structural and Functional Plasticity of Medium-Spiny Neurons in the Nucleus Accumbens

Opioid use disorder is a chronic condition with a high potential for relapse. This is partly due to drug-induced changes in key brain areas that make individuals more susceptible to compulsive use.

Matter of C. L. E.

People v. Bennett

The court vacated a juvenile life sentence, finding the defendant's childhood trauma, brain development, and rehabilitation progress weighed against a finding of permanent incorrigibility.

State v. Elzey

The court ruled that jurors evaluating battered spouse syndrome and PTSD must consider the defendant's complete abuse history. A new trial was ordered due to misleading jury instructions.

A Historic Opportunity to Update Asylum Law's Outdated Assumptions About Trauma and Memory

Asylum law often assumes memory is infallible, but trauma, stress, and culture can cause inconsistencies in stories. This misunderstanding leads to unfair denials, particularly for child and adolescent asylum seekers.

People v. Lemcke

The California Supreme Court ruled that telling jurors to consider eyewitness certainty was not unconstitutional, but advised courts to stop the practice due to research showing unreliability.