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Rational Choice and Developmental Influences on Recidivism Among Adolescent Felony Offenders
Adolescence is a time of increased risk for crime and antisocial behaviors. Research on legal socialization and deterrence reveals how developmental factors influence these behaviors.
In re C.S.
The Ohio Supreme Court held that juveniles can only waive their right to a lawyer if a parent or guardian advises them and they fully understand the consequences. This ruling emphasizes fairness and due process for minors.
Ryder v. USAA Gen. Indem. Co.
The court ruled severe emotional trauma is a bodily injury under insurance if it's a diagnosable mental illness. Serious psychological harm can trigger policy coverage.
People v. LeGrand
The NY high court ruled it is an abuse of discretion to exclude expert testimony on eyewitness identification when a case relies solely on such identifications.
State v. Copeland
The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled that expert testimony on eyewitness identification may be allowed to help juries, overturning a previous ban. A new trial was ordered because excluding the expert was not harmless.
Phillips v. Jasper County Jail
The court found jail staff may have ignored an inmate's seizure medication needs and bunk request, but dismissed claims against the jail doctor.
Wisconsin Community Services v. City of Milwaukee
The court ruled cities cannot discriminate against mental health and addiction centers when issuing special-use permits. These centers are entitled to reasonable accommodation under federal law.
Davis v. Carter
The Seventh Circuit ruled that Cook County’s repeated delays in providing methadone to an inmate could demonstrate deliberate indifference, equating delay with denial of care for a serious medical need.
Gonzales v. O Centro Espírita Beneficente União do Vegetal
The Court ruled that the religious use of a controlled substance was protected from federal prosecution under RFRA.
United States v. Georgia
The Court ruled the ADA applies to state prisons when constitutional rights are violated. This protects incarcerated individuals with disabilities, including those with substance use disorders.
Gonzales v. Oregon
The Court held the Attorney General cannot ban doctors from prescribing drugs for state-authorized physician-assisted suicide. This ruling affirmed Oregon's right to allow the practice.
Development of the Adolescent Brain: Implications for Executive Function and Social Cognition
Research indicates that the adolescent brain undergoes significant development. The prefrontal cortex shows increased myelination, enhancing neural transmission speed, and changes in synaptic density through proliferation and pruning.
Earlier Development of the Accumbens Relative to Orbitofrontal Cortex Might Underlie Risk-Taking Behavior in Adolescents
Adolescents show increased brain activity in reward-related regions and less mature activity in impulse control regions compared to children and adults. This may explain their heightened risk-taking behaviors.
Scarver v Litscher
Prison officials were not liable for an inmate's worsened mental illness after solitary confinement. The court found no deliberate indifference, as officials lacked clear prior knowledge of the specific harm.
State v. Paiz
The court upheld testimony about PTSD symptoms after sexual abuse. It affirmed that qualified experts can explain treatment-based diagnoses.