Health

Criminal

ABA files amicus brief seeking to protect insanity defense

The American Bar Association filed an amicus brief on June 7 asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse a Kansas court decision rejecting the traditional insanity defense in a capital murder case.

Men More Likely Than Women to Face SUD and Mental Illness

The Pew Charitable Trusts reports that men have a rate of substance dependence (SUD) that is twice that of women and that men are also more likely to experience an opioid overdose.

Elder

Examining Medicare and Oral Health Coverage

This article by Wey-Wey Kwok takes a critical look at Medicare and the issue of oral health coverage denials that have been encountered by Medicare beneficiaries who need dental services to medically manage or treat an underlying and immediate injury, illness, or disease.

Courts & Judiciary

Vicarious Trauma in the Courtroom: Judicial Perceptions of Juror Distress

By Dawn E. McQuiston, M. Dylan Hooper, and Abbey E. Brasington

Jury duty can be a stressful and traumatic experience, particularly when it involves a lengthy trial, being sequestered, or cases including disturbing testimony, gruesome details, or emotional evidence. In an exploratory study, 13 South Carolina circuit court judges were interviewed about the psychological health of jurors and susceptibility to symptoms of secondary traumatic stress.