Electronic Bulletin, October 2009, No. 10

Electronic Bulletin
Public Affairs Section, U.S. Consulate General, Hong Kong
October 2009, No. 10

(The Electronic Bulletin is an information service published by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General and provided to subscribers by e-mail and fax. Except for the U.S. Government sites, the opinions expressed on the Internet sites listed here do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Government.)

Are Adolescents Less Mature Than Adults? Minors' Access to Abortion, the Juvenile Death Penalty, and the Alleged APA "Flip-Flop"
Laurence Steinberg, Elizabeth Cauffman, Jennifer Woolard, Sandra Graham, and Marie Banich
American Psychological Association
October 2009

The report is available online. (PDF file)*

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A 16-year-old might be quite capable of making an informed decision about whether to end a pregnancy, a decision likely to be made after due consideration and consultation with an adult, but this same adolescent may not possess the maturity to be held to adult levels of responsibility if she commits a violent crime, according to the study.

Subject: U.S. Society