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

How long can inmates legally be deprived of outdoor activity?

A former inmate claims that prison officials violated the Eighth Amendment by holding him in solitary confinement with no opportunity to go outdoors for more than two years
By Marc W. Pearce, JD, PhD, Nebraska College of Law, and Kimberly S. Della Paolera, MA, MLS, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, December 2018, Vol 49, No. 11
 

Court asked to re-evaluate whether diagnosis should be based solely on expert opinion

A case before the U.S. Supreme Court serves as a reminder for clinicians to be vigilant in their adherence to published guidelines and best practices
By Robert A. Beattey, JD, PhD, Arizona State University and Cynthia Calkins, PhD, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, November 2018, Vol 49, No. 10
 

Supreme Court fails to use science in key decision

By not considering the voluntariness of a confession by a 16-year-old, intellectually disabled defendant, the court missed a chance to use science to address a critical issue
By Jennifer N. Weintraub, MA, and Cynthia J. Najdowski, PhD, University at Albany, State University of New York, October 2018, Vol 49, No. 9
 

Keeping guns away from potentially dangerous people

A growing number of states are embracing laws that restrict gun possession. What is the psychologist’s role?
By Shelby Arnold, MS; Alisha Desai, BSC; and David DeMatteo, JD, PhD, Drexel University, September 2018, Vol 49, No. 8
 

How many years are equivalent to life without parole?

Does a 241-year sentence amount to a life without parole for juvenile offenders?
By Cynthia Calkins, PhD, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and Robert A. Beattey, JD, PhD, Arizona State University, July/August 2018, Vol 49, No. 7
 

Race, gender and loss of future earnings

A judge finds that the use of race- and gender-based tables to award damages ignores the many factors that affect an individual’s ability to fulfill his or her potential
By Jennifer K. Robbennolt, JD, PhD, University of Illinois, June 2018, Vol 49, No. 6
 

Eliminating offensive legal language

Legal terms should be updated so that they foster respect for people with disabilities
By Kathryn A. LaFortune, JD, PhD, The University of Tulsa College of Law, May 2018, Vol 49, No. 5
 

In Harvey Weinstein's wake

The #MeToo movement is raising awareness of sexual harassment, but are victims protected by the law?
By Ryan J. Winter, PhD, Florida International University, April 2018, Vol 49, No. 4
 

Does partisan gerrymandering disenfranchise voters?

Cases before the U.S. Supreme Court are exploring whether these laws undermine citizens' confidence in the electoral system
By Kimberly M. Bernstein, MA, and Cynthia J. Najdowski, PhD, University at Albany, State University of New York, March 2018, Vol 49, No. 3
 

The legal system follows the empirical evidence on eyewitness identification

The Michigan Supreme Court holds that police use of a suggestive lineup procedure violates a defendant’s due process rights
By Robert A. Beattey, JD, PhD, Arizona State University, and Cynthia Calkins, PhD, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, February 2018, Vol 49, No. 2
 

Computer risk algorithms and judicial decision-making

Researchers voice concerns that the use of algorithms for sentencing and more could discriminate against certain groups
By Sarah Fishel, BS, BA; Dan Flack, MA; and David DeMatteo, JD, PhD (Forensic) Drexel University, January 2018, Vol 49, No. 1