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Psychological Mechanisms Mediating Effects Between Trauma and Psychotic Symptoms: The Role of Affect Regulation, Intrusive Trauma Memory, Beliefs, and Depression
The article finds a strong, consistent link between childhood victimization and psychosis.
Jonhson v Wetzel
The court found 36 years of solitary confinement likely violated the 8th Amendment due to severe psychological harm. The isolation was clinically distressing and lacked justification.
Brief of Amicus Curiae American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Support of Petitioner
This brief argues that routine strip searches of youth in juvenile detention are harmful. It advocates for a separate, more tailored standard for youth due to their unique vulnerability to psychological harm.
Brief of Amicus Curiae American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children in Support of Petitioner
This brief argues that Joseph H.'s severe childhood abuse compromised his ability to understand his Miranda rights. The lower court failed to adequately weigh the impact of his maltreatment, violating his constitutional rights.
State v. Bright
The Florida Supreme Court ordered a new penalty phase. Counsel failed to present evidence of the defendant's childhood trauma, PTSD, abuse, and mental illness, which is crucial for assessing moral culpability.
State v. Mahmoud
Maine’s high court ruled that juries can be instructed on factors impacting eyewitness identification reliability, such as cross-racial identification and stress, based on scientific research.
State v. Dickson
The court ruled that first-time in-court eyewitness identifications need prescreening by a judge, especially if there was no prior successful identification. However, this specific error was deemed harmless.
Young v. State
The Alaska Supreme Court found the prior legal test for eyewitness identification unreliable. It adopted a new standard based on modern scientific understanding of memory to better protect due process rights.
Massey v. Commonwealth
The court ruled the victim's testimony was admissible. Expert evidence showed trauma can fragment memories, explaining delayed recall of sexual assault events.
Adolescent Impatience Decreases with Increased Frontostriatal Connectivity
Adolescence is a period of increased impulsivity, which is essential for developing adult skills but also linked to risky behaviors.
Age Differences in the Impact of Peers on Adolescents' and Adults' Neural Response to Reward
Adolescents take more risks when peers are present, even without direct peer pressure. Research suggests this peer effect in adolescents is linked to heightened reward sensitivity, impacting how their brains process rewards.
Beyond Simple Models of Self-control to Circuit-based Accounts of Adolescent Behavior
The teen brain isn't "defective" but is shaped by biology and experiences during adolescence. This period sees high sensation-seeking and increased mental health issues, driven by complex developmental changes.
Pollard v. Drummond
The court found that firing a coal miner for prescribed methadone use, without assessing his individual risk, might be disability discrimination. This raised questions about whether he posed a direct threat.
State v. O’Dell
The Washington Supreme Court affirmed a child rape conviction but ruled trial courts can consider a defendant's youth as a mitigating factor in sentencing.
Horsley v. State
The Florida Supreme Court found a juvenile's mandatory life without parole sentence unconstitutional. The case was returned for resentencing consistent with juvenile sentencing laws.