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Brief of the Sentencing Project as Amicus Curiae in Support of Petitioners
This brief argues that mandatory life without parole sentences for juveniles violate the Eighth Amendment. It asserts that juveniles are less culpable than adults and deserve individualized sentencing.
Problems with Access to Adolescent Mental Health Care Can Lead to Dealings with the Criminal Justice System
Many young people experience mental health problems, yet few receive adequate treatment. This gap often leads to youth with mental health needs entering the criminal justice system, which is ill-equipped to provide care.
Psychosocial Stress Reversibly Disrupts Prefrontal Processing and Attentional Control
A study found chronic stress hinders attention shifts, a key function of the prefrontal cortex, but not other cognitive tasks. These stress effects on brain function were shown to be reversible.
The Influence of Substance Use on Adolescent Brain Development
Adolescent substance use, including alcohol and marijuana, can subtly but significantly alter brain structure and function. This may lead to lasting problems with memory, attention, and other cognitive abilities, even after use stops.
Trajectories of Antisocial Behavior and Psychosocial Maturity from Adolescence to Young Adulthood
Antisocial behavior typically peaks around age 17 and declines into adulthood, but some individuals continue this behavior. Researchers distinguish between those who desist and those whose antisocial behavior persists.
Adolescent Maturity and the Brain: The Promise and Pitfalls of Neuroscience Research in Adolescent Health Policy
Adolescence involves continued brain development, challenging prior assumptions. Frontal lobes, crucial for executive functions, mature late, raising questions about linking brain development to judgment and policy.
Porter v. McCollum
The Supreme Court ruled that a lawyer's failure to investigate a client's combat trauma and brain impairment harmed the defense, as this evidence could have changed the jury's sentencing decision.
State v. Clopten
The court held that expert testimony on eyewitness identification should be allowed when a stranger is identified and reliability factors exist. This is because experts educate juries better than cross-examination or instructions alone.
Adolescent Development and the Regulation of Youth Crime
Juvenile justice policy shifted significantly, moving from a rehabilitative approach for young lawbreakers to holding them accountable like adults.
In re William M.
The Nevada Supreme Court ruled a state law unconstitutional because it forced juveniles to admit guilt to avoid adult court, violating their Fifth Amendment rights. The Court found this created an unfair dilemma.
Hammermueller v. North American Company for Life and Health Insurance
An 82-year-old sued over unsuitable annuities. The appeals court reversed a jury award, finding no proof of actual financial loss.
In the matter of L.M.
The Kansas Supreme Court ruled juveniles do not have a right to a jury trial in delinquency cases. This affirmed the district court's denial of a jury trial for a 16-year-old charged with aggravated sexual battery.
Brief of Juvenile Law Center as Amicus Curiae on Behalf of Appellant, O.K.
An amicus brief supports the argument that military commissions lack jurisdiction over minors because the law is silent on juvenile personal jurisdiction. It argues that federal law and social science support treating juveniles differently.
Brief of Juvenile Law Center as Amicus Curiae In Support of Petitioner's Motion for Judgment as a Matter of Law Based on His Juvenile Status
This brief argues that classifying a child soldier as an "enemy combatant" violates domestic and international law. It contends Omar Khadr, captured at age 15, was improperly denied age-appropriate care.
Brief of Pacific Juvenile Defender Center et al. on Behalf of Appellant
The brief argues that juveniles who remain in juvenile court, but whose adjudications can be used as "strikes" in adult court, lose their right to a jury trial unconstitutionally.