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Amicus Curiae Brief on Behalf of Faith-based Organizations and Religious Leaders
Faith groups argue the Supreme Court’s Miller v. Alabama ruling should apply to past juvenile cases. This allows individualized sentencing considering youth and rehabilitation, aligning with Eighth Amendment morality.
Amicus Curiae Brief of the State Appellate Defender Office
The brief argues Miller v. Alabama should apply retroactively to Mr. Carp and others.
ACLU Amicus Brief
The brief argues that a US Supreme Court ruling, which bans mandatory life without parole for juveniles, should apply to past cases. This would allow hundreds of Michigan prisoners, sentenced as children, a chance at release.
Brief of Juvenile Law Center, et al. Amici Curiae in Support of Appellants Carp, Davis and Eliason
This brief argues that mandatory life sentences for juvenile murderers are unconstitutional and should apply retroactively. It claims the Eighth Amendment bans such sentences, especially for those who did not directly kill.
Suicidality, Bullying and Other Conduct and Mental Health Correlates of Traumatic Brain Injury in Adolescents
Each year, over 500,000 North American youth experience a traumatic brain injury (TBI) requiring hospital care. These injuries are linked to long-term cognitive, emotional, and social burdens.
Addressing Trauma and Psychosocial Development in Juvenile Justice-Involved Youth: A Synthesis of the Developmental Neuroscience, Juvenile Justice and Trauma Literature
Youth in the juvenile justice system often face significant childhood trauma. This exposure is much higher than in the general population and increases risks for violence, delinquency, and self-harm.
Phasic Dopamine Neuron Activity Elicits Unique Mesofrontal Plasticity in Adolescence
Phasic dopamine neuron activity creates lasting structural and functional changes in the mesofrontal circuit of adolescent mice, but not in adult mice. This suggests greater brain plasticity during adolescence.
Sharing and Giving Across Adolescence: an Experimental Study Examining the Development of Prosocial Behavior
This paper examines how children's sharing and giving behaviors develop when interacting with peers. It focuses on fairness and trust in social decisions.
Socioeconomic Status and Structural Brain Development
This review explores how socioeconomic status impacts brain development. Lower socioeconomic status is linked to differences in brain structure, possibly due to less stimulation and increased stress during childhood.
Is Adolescence a Sensitive Period for Sociocultural Processing?
Adolescence is a sensitive period where peer acceptance strongly influences self-worth and behavior. Social exclusion during this time can significantly impact mood and heighten anxiety.
The Role of the Anterior Insula in Adolescent Decision Making
Adolescents take more risks due to brain changes during puberty. Reward-seeking brain areas develop faster than self-control areas, leading to increased risk-taking behaviors.
Teens Impulsively React Rather Than Retreat from Threat
Adolescents show poorer self-control than children and adults when faced with potential threats. Their brains exhibit unique activity patterns, impacting their behavior in emotionally charged situations.
The Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) in the Lives of Juvenile Offenders
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are common and have a powerful, cumulative effect on human development. High ACE scores are linked to chronic diseases and other negative health, educational, and behavioral outcomes in adulthood.
Adolescents Let Sufficient Evidence Accumulate Before Making a Decision When Large Incentives Are at Stake
The article examines how rewards influence adolescent decision-making and related brain activity. Incentives can improve adolescent decisions when tied to performance, but hinder them when used as distractors.
Perceived Discrimination Among African American Adolescents and Allostatic Load: a Longitudinal Analysis with Buffering Effects
Racial discrimination during adolescence is linked to higher levels of biological wear and tear on the body's stress systems, impacting long-term health. This stress may contribute to racial disparities in chronic diseases.