The Gray Matter of Young Adulthood: Neuroscience, Social Trends, and Justice Reform
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- Why have recent neuroscience research findings on young adult development (age eighteen to twenty-five) not caused widespread reform for this age group in the criminal justice system? The research shows that eighteen is an arbitrary age of maturity and full criminal responsibility, but the United States continues to treat young people eighteen and older like adults. This thesis seeks to answer this question through an analysis and synthesis of scientific papers, legal cases, policy reports, and academic works. It argues that current reform efforts fail to translate scientific research into practical reform because they do not place the science within its social context, which is defined as the history and present social trends, practices, and beliefs about juvenile and criminal justice in America, including the uniquely American relationship to race and crime. This argument is grounded in a historical and theoretical discussion of the relationship between science and law. Both science and law are flexible reflections of social ideals, and both can be used as tools for social control over targeted groups. This thesis places relevant neuroscience literature on young adult development within the broader history of juvenile and criminal justice. It also puts the scientific research in conversation with the present way that young adults interact with the justice system, including in specialized young adult programs. It argues that these programs do not go far enough and that categorical reform for all young adults is necessary. This discussion concludes with a proposed model for categorical young adult reform. In short, the model suggests waiting for, being prepared for, and creating the right contextual moment for reform.
Description
| Type of resource | text |
|---|---|
| Date created | May 8, 2017 |
Creators/Contributors
| Author | Laurenzi, Sophia |
|---|---|
| Advisor | Garcia, Angela |
| Degree granting institution | Stanford University, Program in Science, Technology, and Society |
Subjects
| Subject | youth |
|---|---|
| Subject | young adults |
| Subject | emerging adults |
| Subject | criminal justice |
| Subject | neuroscience |
| Subject | psychology |
| Subject | reform |
| Subject | social justice |
| Subject | social trends |
| Subject | policy |
| Subject | reform |
| Subject | criminal justice reform |
| Subject | Stanford University |
| Subject | STS |
| Subject | science technology and society |
| Subject | interdisciplinary |
| Subject | law |
| Genre | Thesis |
Bibliographic information
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- Use and reproduction
- User agrees that, where applicable, content will not be used to identify or to otherwise infringe the privacy or confidentiality rights of individuals. Content distributed via the Stanford Digital Repository may be subject to additional license and use restrictions applied by the depositor.
- License
- This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license (CC BY).
Preferred citation
- Preferred Citation
- Laurenzi, Sophia. (2017). The Gray Matter of Young Adulthood: Neuroscience, Social Trends, and Justice Reform. Unpublished Honors Thesis. Stanford University, Stanford CA.
Collection
Stanford University, Program in Science, Technology and Society, Honors Theses
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- Contact
- sophia17@stanford.edu
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