This project will use a national, longitudinal sample of archival materials, including court cases, congressional hearings, and state codes, to analyze the juvenile justice system’s use of research on youth development and its impact on legal decisions. In particular, Colyvas will focus on the relationship between the legal concept of “competency to stand trial” and evidence from developmental science. She will employ both qualitative and quantitative methods to systematically examine the content of the sampled documents and assess when and how knowledge about youth development is used.
When and how is knowledge about youth development used in the juvenile justice system?
