|Articles|October 27, 2012

Psychiatric Times

  • Psychiatric Times Vol 29 No 11
  • Volume 29
  • Issue 11

The Adolescent Brain Is Different

Author(s)Peter Ash, MD

Assessments of partial culpability of adolescents are difficult in individual cases; however, the courts are moving away from mandatory sentencing to individual determinations, even for the most heinous crimes.

Sixteen-year-old John and 2 friends go to a club where they get into a verbal argument with 3 members of a rival gang. After receiving a particularly gross insult, John pulls out a handgun and fires 3 shots at one of the gang members. He misses, but one of his shots hits a 15-year-old girl in the head and kills her. John is tried in adult criminal court and is convicted of murder.

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