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"Permanently Incorrigible" Is a Patently Ineffective Standard: Reforming the Administration of Juvenile Life Without Parole
This article examines challenges in applying the Supreme Court's "irreparable corruption" standard for juvenile life without parole.
Healthy Development as a Human Right: Insights from Developmental Neuroscience for Youth Justice
This article argues that healthy development is a human right, not a privilege. It highlights how the US justice system often denies this right to youth, especially children of color, by treating them as adults.
Adolescent Brain Development and Progressive Legal Responsibility in the Latin American Context
Neuroscience research highlights the complexity of defining adolescence due to non-uniform brain development. This understanding influences legal systems, particularly in decisions about adolescent criminal responsibility.
Adolescent Psychopathology: the Role of Brain-based Diatheses, Sensitivities, and Susceptibilities
Some adolescents experience problems while others thrive due to a complex interplay of biology and environment. Brain structure and function influence an individual's vulnerability or susceptibility to their surroundings.
Differential Correlates of Positive and Negative Risk Taking in Adolescence
This study examines the psychological factors linked to positive and negative risk-taking in adolescents. It explores how positive risks benefit well-being and whether both risk types share common influences.
Early Childhood Trauma Impact on Adolescent Brain Development, Decision Making Abilities, and Delinquent Behaviors: Policy Implications for Juveniles Tried in Adult Court Systems
Early childhood trauma, including abuse and neglect, significantly impairs adolescent brain development and decision-making. This trauma increases the likelihood of delinquent behavior and mental health issues among youth.
Threat Or Thrill? the Neural Mechanisms Underlying the Development of Anxiety and Risk Taking in Adolescence
This article explores why adolescence, a time of both increased anxiety and increased risk-taking, often presents contrasting behaviors. It reviews how approach and avoidance systems influence typical adolescent development.
The perceptions of juvenile judges regarding adolescent development in evaluating juvenile competency
Research found that while judges acknowledge adolescent development influences juvenile behavior, most do not connect it to assessing a juvenile's competency to stand trial. This suggests a disconnect in judges' understanding.
Behavioral and Neural Signatures of Working Memory in Childhood
Working memory, a key cognitive ability, varies among individuals and changes throughout life. It is related to intelligence and academic skills, with brain systems playing a role in its development.
Childhood Adversity and Neural Development: a Systematic Review
Childhood adversity, like violence or neglect, profoundly impacts a child's brain development and overall well-being. These experiences can lead to lasting changes in emotional, cognitive, and social development.
Distinct and Similar Patterns of Emotional Development in Adolescents and Young Adults
Adolescents and young adults often struggle more than children and older adults to ignore social emotional cues. This study examines how reaction times vary when processing these cues across different age groups.
Marshall v. State
The court upheld a 21-year-old's 15-year burglary sentence. Protections for juveniles did not apply as he was an adult at the time of the offense and did not receive a life sentence.
Commonwealth v. Machicote
The court ruled a juvenile’s 30-years-to-life sentence violated Eighth Amendment rights by not adequately considering youth factors. The defendant committed murder as a juvenile.
U.S. v. Sparks
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a 35-year sentence for crimes committed at age sixteen. The Court held this sentence did not violate the Eighth Amendment's prohibition against life without parole for juveniles.
State v. Shanahan
The Idaho Supreme Court ruled a juvenile offender's long fixed-term, indeterminate life sentence was not a de facto life sentence. This meant it did not violate the Eighth Amendment under Miller v. Alabama.