Nation's Largest School Police Force, in L.A., Will Stop Ticketing Kids 12 and Younger
The Center for Public Integrity, Susan Ferriss | Nov. 27
Los Angeles Unified School Police Department officers will stop issuing tickets to students 12-years-old or younger for minor infractions allegedly committed on or near campuses during school hours. The policy, which goes into effect in December, comes in the wake of community demands to "decriminalize" minor school disciplinary matters and use more discretion when involving law enforcement personnel.
A Taste of Thanksgiving at a Juvenile Detention Center
Capital News Service, Natalie Kornicks | Nov. 26
Thanksgiving dinner is one of the few times of the year that juveniles at Maryland's Alfred D. Noyes Children's Center share a meal with their family outside of structured visitation hours.
Few Studies Explore Unique Impacts of Brain Injury on Women
WBEZ Chicago Public Radio, Shannon Heffernan | Nov. 26
Attention to brain injuries has increased in the past decade, with particular focus on male veterans and football players. Over 30 percent of brain-injury patients are women, but little research has focused specifically on them -- which could have big consequences for their recovery.
The Changing American Family
The New York Times, Natalie Angier | Nov. 25
The American family has become multilayered and full of surprises in recent years.
Evidence Mounting That Poverty Causes Lasting Physical and Mental Health Problems for Children
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, David Templeton | Nov. 24
Three recent studies add to a growing body of evidence that poverty can exact a lasting toll on a child's mental and physical well-being.
Sandusky Legacy: New unit to investigate child sex abuse
USA Today, Kevin Johnson | Nov. 23
A new Pennsylvania investigative unit is among the latest in a series of efforts by state attorneys general to bolster child sexual abuse protections.
Arizona Child Abuse Not Investigated
The Arizona Republic, Mary Jo Pitzl and Mary K. Reinhart | Nov. 21
A total of 6,000 child abuse allegations were never investigated by Arizona's Child Protective Services division. The abuse allegations were made to the state's child-abuse hotline and "misclassified" as "not investigated," meaning a staffer in the agency's call center determined the situation did not warrant formal investigation.
Workers Vote With Feet, Leave Home-Based Child Care
New Hampshire Public Radio, Sam Evans-Brown | Nov. 21
Home-based child care is increasingly hard to find in New Hampshire as more and more parents opt to place their kids in child care centers. Centers offer flexible hours and parents may perceive that centers better prepare kids for schools, according to a family demographer.