The Building of the Teenage Brain: Teen Brains on Trial

Based on the previous information posted in this blog, we know that adolescents are impulsive, and lack organization of thought and decision-making skills due to the undeveloped pre-frontal cortex that controls these actions. Supreme Court decisions since 1988 have been consistently recognizing the research that claims that juvenile offenders have a tendency to be deficient in both social and biological maturity, are more irresponsible, are more vulnerable to peer pressure, and are more at risk from their environments than adults.(Adolescent Brain Development). One of the most recent cases, Graham v. Florida (2010), the Supreme Court stated it was unconstitutional to sentence juveniles to life, without the possibility of parole if they were sentenced of non-homicide crimes. Experts believe that adolescents have the possibility of rehabilitation, and that it is a disservice to society to convict them to adult facilities.
The research in adolescent brain development is becoming a progressively precise field of research in recent years, because of the advancement of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods. Before the utilization of this equipment, the only main findings that had been reached in this field were the result of cadaver tissue studies, given that X-rays and other methods of testing were considered possibly damaging to adolescents. Lawrence Steinberg, who is a well-known Professor of Psychology at Temple University, claims that “the teenage brain is like a car with a good accelerator but a weak brake. With powerful impulses under poor control, the likely result is a crash.” (Teen Brains) Steinburg assisted in writing an American Psychological Association brief for Roper v. Simmons (2005) case in which the U.S. Supreme Court banned the death penalty for crimes that were committed by juveniles before they turn 18. This decision depended on the most current research on the adolescent brain, which reveals the adolescent brain is still growing during the teen years, and cognitive and decision methods of thinking are developing even into the early 20s.

Crimes committed by various ages groups 1990-2010

There is further research that reveals that childhood abuse and neglect even further impedes the normal brain development. According to a study by the Juvenile Justice Center of the American Bar Association, it was discovered that a greater part of the juveniles who were on death rows throughout the country had been abused or neglected as children. While these factors do not excuse behavior, it is something for experts and juries to consider when deciding the sentences for juvenile offenders. (Teen Crime) But what about teenagers who are sociopaths, or psychopaths, and may never become a contributing member of society? Experts are trying to develop specific assessments to determine whether these types of individuals should be released into general population. It is a fine balance, between the studies showing that on one hand, teens are not fully capable of making logical decisions, to the other hand which argues that the teenagers should be held responsible for their actions, regardless of their age. Another problem is that imprisonment in an adult prison can destroy a child, because adolescents who are sentenced as adults are nearly twenty times more likely (than other teens) to commit suicide. Due to the fact that a quarter of suicide attempts transpire within the first two days of incarceration, even a brief episode of incarceration can result in disaster. Obviously, these teens are also especially vulnerable to violence from adult prisoners. (Youth Law News) But what about teenagers who are sociopaths, or psychopaths, and may never become a contributing member of society? Experts are trying to develop specific assessments to determine whether these types of individuals should be released into general population. It is a fine balance, between the studies showing that on one hand, teens are not fully capable of making logical decisions, to the other hand which argues that the teenagers should be held responsible for their actions, regardless of their age.