MGH Center for Law, Brain & Behavior

17/10/2024

CLBB Managing Director Judge Nancy Gertner (ret.) recently published an opinion piece in The New York Times titled “The Supreme Court Is Its Own Worst Enemy.”

To read the full article, click the link in our bio.

17/10/2024

Photos from Sentencing Children: Bridging Neuroscience, Justice, and Reform with Stephanie Tabashneck, PsyD, JD, Honorable Nancy Gertner, Melissa Wood Bartholomew, and Robert Kinscherff, Ph.D., Esq. Co-sponsored by The Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School and MGH Center for Law, Brain & Behavior. This stellar panel provided insightful conversation on the mass incarceration of children, adolescent neuroscience, and restorative justice.

08/10/2024

CLBB Founding Co-Director Dr. Judith Edersheim was recently quoted in Andrew Solomon's article "Has Social Media Fueled a Teen-Suicide Crisis?" published in The New Yorker.

"...Instagram 'has a pretty good hold on the serendipitous aspect of discovery...Every time one of our teen users finds something unexpected their brains deliver them a dopamine hit.' [Dr.] Edersheim...likens the effect to putting children in a twenty-four-hour casino and giving them chocolate-flavored bourbon. 'The relentlessness, the intrusion, it’s all very intentional. No other addictive device has ever been so pervasive.'”

Read the full article here:

Mental-health struggles have risen sharply among young Americans, and parents and lawmakers alike are scrutinizing life online for answers.

30/09/2024

Join and for a thought-provoking discussion on the mass incarceration of children, adolescent neuroscience, and restorative justice. Our distinguished panelists—a judge, a psychologist, and a lawyer rooted in restorative justice —will share their expertise on how we can align justice systems with science and pave the way for more humane and effective pathways forward.

This event is open to HUID holders only. Please RSVP to receive the location, which will be sent via email prior to the event.
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29/07/2024

We’re grateful to for highlighting the important work we’re doing here at CLBB, particularly with the NeuroLaw Library. “The courts are still lagging far behind the science,” said NeuroLaw Library founding director Stephanie Tabashneck in the article. That’s exactly why we created the Library — to leverage actionable neuroscience to level the legal playing field and fight the mass incarceration of children and adolescents while promoting better community safety outcomes. You can check out the article here: https://imprintnews.org/top-stories/new-resource-aims-to-bring-more-adolescent-brain-science-into-juvenile-courtrooms/250907. ⚖️📚

01/07/2024

Violent crime by juveniles has been on the decline for more than two decades — a period that coincides with neuroscience-informed criminal justice reforms. CLBBNeuroLawLibrary.com stands to accelerate these reforms.

28/06/2024

Outdated views leading to harsh and disproportionate drug-and-alcohol-related sentencing of youths, rather than providing treatment options, isn't lowering the risk of future violent crime... but making future drug-related convictions more likely. CLBBNeuroLawLibrary.com is a key resource in making data like this available for all.

27/06/2024

It isn't cheap keeping juveniles in correctional facilities. Yet another reason to utilize the data and latest neuroscience available in the CLBB NeuroLaw Library. Check out CLBBNeuroLawLibrary.com for more.

26/06/2024

With so much at stake, juveniles in the justice system benefit from a chance at growth and dignity — neuroscience shows us that as young brains change, so do people's behaviors. The CLBB NeuroLaw Library was launched to catalyze moves in that direction. Check out CLBBNeuroLawLibrary.com for more.

25/06/2024

Youths with PTSD often require treatment, but most youth do not receive any treatment when they are incarcerated. The CLBB NeuroLaw Library aims to provide information about how kids are affected by the juvenile justice system. Visit CLBBNeuroLawLibrary.com for more.

24/06/2024

An enormous number of youth in the juvenile justice system suffer from an undiagnosed mental illness. The CLBB NeuroLaw Library provides applied neuroscience that can help promote understanding of mental health issues. Visit CLBBNeuroLawLibrary.com for more.

21/06/2024

The high stress environment of adult prison is damaging to the developing adolescent brain.

With an abundance of data around the brains of youths, the CLBB NeuroLaw Library is a significant tool. Visit clbbneurolawlibrary.com for more.