A study of juvenile detention centers by Laura Abrams of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and Dr. Elizabeth Barnert of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA has been honored as a “high commended paper” by the 2019 Emerald Literati Awards.
Published in the International Journal of Prisoner Health in 2018, the study found that children placed in juvenile detention centers, jails or prisons before their teenage years are much more likely to experience serious physical and mental health issues as adults. The research points to a need for targeted health care for those incarcerated at an early age and calls into question the wisdom of detaining the youngest minors in juvenile halls, probation camps and other facilities.
Abrams is professor of social welfare and Barnert is an assistant professor of pediatrics. Their collaboration bridges the fields of child health and juvenile justice.