"Judicial Notebook" is a project of SPSSI (APA Div. 9)

Should 14-year-olds be charged as adults?

Research shows adult sentencing for teens fails to reduce repeat offenses
By Apryl A. Alexander, PhD, and Ava Peters, January 2026, Vol. 57, No. 1. 

Jury selection in the Black Lives Matter era

Trial exclusion based on BLM support can lead to racial discrimination and biased decision-making
By Cynthia J. Najdowski, PhD, and Margaret Stevenson, March 2026, Vol. 57, No. 3. 

Is a public apology a sign of remorse or carefully crafted damage control?

How the psychological dynamics of self-justification and reputation management play out in high-stakes failures 
By Akshat Donti, BA, Jennifer Robbennolt, JD, PhD, and Verity Winship, JD, April 2026, Vol 57, No. 3. 

Are virtual juries effective?

Research suggests virtual and in-person juries are similar in deliberation quality and outcome
By Kathryn A. LaFortune, JD, PhD, June 2026, Vol. 57, No. 4. 

Speech or conduct? “Conversion therapy” bans