News by Subject Policy & Ethics

Years of observational studies suggest that prosecutors' race and class biases are among the primary drivers for disparities in criminal justice. Recent University of Arizona-led research indicates otherwise.

Less than half (41%) of clinical trial results are reported promptly onto the US trial registry, and 1 in 3 trials remain unreported, according to the first comprehensive study of compliance since new US regulations came into effect in January 2017.

In the first global review, researchers have examined the health of detained adolescents from 245 peer-reviewed journal articles and review publications. Researchers found that detained adolescents have a significantly higher prevalence of mental health disorders and suicidal behaviors than their peers in the community, along with substance use disorders, neurodevelopment disabilities, and sexually transmitted infections.

A major experiment introducing proactive policing to Underground platforms finds that short bursts of patrolling create a "phantom effect": 97% of the resulting crime reduction was during periods when police weren't actually present.

A new study led by investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital finds that 6-to-12 months after traumatic injury, rates of chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other poor physical and mental health outcomes were alarmingly high among survivors of firearm violence -- even higher than among survivors who had sustained similar injuries in motor vehicle crashes.

Thirty-seven states require minors to either notify their parents or go before a judge before having an abortion. New research shows as many 13% are denied in court.

Blood culture surveillance programs are critical for estimating the prevalence of typhoid and paratyphoid fevers, but cases can be missed when patients don't seek medical care, or seek medical care and don't have a blood culture test. Researchers writing in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases have now calculated inflation factors that can be used to adjust these incidence rates to account for under-detection.

Seven percent of Texas abortion patients in the study reported trying to self-manage abortion before coming to a clinic for services. Women cited cost and long distance to clinics as reasons for choosing to self-manage abortion.

A new study predicts millions of additional violent crimes in coming decades.