By: Idalia Pinal Imagine you are a young person who just moved to a new country. You have gotten into some legal trouble, and now you’re asked to sit down in a room and talk things out with the person involved (such as the victim, a judge, an attorney, or a mediator). You are supposed to explain your side, take responsibility, and possibly make things right, but the rules, the language, and even the way people talk are all unfamiliar. This process is called mediation, a form

By: Ashley Gale Vaughan, J.D. Most legal disputes in the United States are resolved outside of the courtroom through a set of processes known as Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). ADR includes informal resolutions like settlements in civil cases and plea bargains in criminal matters, as well as more formal alternatives such as mediation and arbitration. These processes allow people to resolve conflicts without the time, cost, and unpredictability of a trial. But why does A

Psychologists tend to categorize countries along a spectrum from individualistic to collectivistic countries. More individualistic...

As an adolescent, what was your primary motivator for success? Did you succeed because you were driven by rewards (e.g., recognition,...

Sentencing guidelines are advisory recommendations that help judges determine appropriate sentences based on a person’s criminal history...

Henry Alford was accused of murder and was facing the death penalty at trial . Despite maintaining his innocence, in order to avoid the...

For many, justice means punishment – going to jail, paying fines, or “doing the time” for the crime committed. But what if punishment is...

According to the American Bar Association , the number of female law students has increased since 1970, where female law student...

As April 15 approaches each year, people across America scramble to get their taxes filed. While some people have likely gotten into a...

In the juvenile justice system, youth are influenced by a variety of sources – parents, lawyers, police officers, other legal actors, and...

Do you believe the skills you learn during the training you get when you first start a job or internship are still at their peak after...

Would you hand over your unlocked cellphone to a stranger? Think about all the things you access on your phone – text messages, website...

Imagine a child in an interview with an investigator about an alleged child sexual assault. The investigator is trying to figure out the...

As artificial intelligence (AI) marches forward into the future, it is expanding into many corners of society, including the legal...

Although in many states juvenile criminal records are supposed to be sealed once the juvenile turns 18, this is not always consistently...

As many of us can remember, adolescence is a stage of life marked by contradictions. Teens are treated like adults in some cases and like...

Nearly every criminal conviction in the U.S. is the result of an accepted plea deal. There are many reasons for this phenomenon, but it...

Imagine, it’s your first day of school. You feel a mix of emotions, both excitement, and dismay. As soon as you enter school grounds, you...

Our criminal justice system hinges on the constitutional right to a fair trial for everyone; however, the structure in which court...

In the United States, around 60,000 juveniles are placed in prisons and jails daily. Research shows that adolescents are less likely to...