Release date: March 9, 2005

Emory's Ash and Fivush Discuss Youth and Violence

Contact:
Elaine Justice: 404-727-0643, elaine.justice@emory.edu
April Bogle: 404-712-8713, abogle@law.emory.edu

Psychiatrist Peter Ash of Emory University will address the recent Supreme Court decision banning the execution of minors, and Emory psychologist Robyn Fivush will share her research on ways to prevent youth violence in a joint presentation titled "Challenges of Adolescence and Violence" at noon, Wednesday, March 23 at Emory Law School's Tull Auditorium, 1301 Clifton Road, Atlanta. For information, call 404-712-8710, or go to www.law.emory.edu/cisr.

"In the past decade, scientific studies have provided more precise data about the extent of the mitigating characteristics that make adolescents less criminally responsible, such as the fact that their brains are still physically maturing," says Ash, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. He will discuss the latest research on adolescents and his role and reasoning in preparing the American Psychiatric Association's input into legal briefs for the recent Supreme Court case, Roper v. Simmons.

Fivush will explain how family ritual and story telling may reduce the tendency toward adolescent violence and other dangerous behaviors. "Children who have regular family mealtimes are less likely to smoke, drink, use illegal drugs, experiment with sex at a young age, or get into fights. They also are at a lower risk for suicidal thoughts, are more likely to do better in school, are more emotionally content, work harder, have positive peer relationships and have healthier eating habits," says Fivush, who is Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Psychology.

The lecture is part of the Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Religion's Family Forum Series. The center, one of The Pew Charitable Trusts' Centers of Excellence, brings together diverse academic perspectives to explore the influence of religious traditions on law, politics, society and culture.

Emory University is known for its demanding academics, outstanding undergraduate college of arts and sciences, highly ranked professional schools and state-of-the-art research facilities. For more than a decade Emory has been named one of the country's top 25 national universities by U.S. News & World Report. In addition to its nine schools, the university encompasses The Carter Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center and Emory Healthcare, a comprehensive metropolitan health care system.

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