April Thomas
@aprilthomas.bsky.social
Associate Professor @UTEP | Developmental & Legal Psychology | Studies adolescent risk behavior and juvenile delinquency | Director of the Adolescent Development & Delinquency Laboratory www.adolescentlab.com
Science funding is on the line, which jeopardizes life-saving research and research that helps improve our communities. Please read this post for action steps you can take to help #savescience, before it is too late. #SaveNIH #SaveNSF
open.substack.com/pub/fromthes...
open.substack.com/pub/fromthes...
The Fight for Science
Thoughts and Actions to Take From My Visit to Capitol Hill
open.substack.com
May 20, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Science funding is on the line, which jeopardizes life-saving research and research that helps improve our communities. Please read this post for action steps you can take to help #savescience, before it is too late. #SaveNIH #SaveNSF
open.substack.com/pub/fromthes...
open.substack.com/pub/fromthes...
Reposted by April Thomas
Over 90% of Americans rely on federally funded science, But only 10% are worried about losing access to it.
That’s a dangerous disconnect.
Help us close the gap. Join our #SummerFightForScience and help spread the word about how essential science is to everyday lives.
www.npr.org/2025/05/06/n...
That’s a dangerous disconnect.
Help us close the gap. Join our #SummerFightForScience and help spread the word about how essential science is to everyday lives.
www.npr.org/2025/05/06/n...
Most Americans use federal science information on a weekly basis, a new poll finds
Most Americans frequently use federal science information. But few are concerned that cuts to federal science spending could affect their access to such information, a new poll finds.
www.npr.org
May 15, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Over 90% of Americans rely on federally funded science, But only 10% are worried about losing access to it.
That’s a dangerous disconnect.
Help us close the gap. Join our #SummerFightForScience and help spread the word about how essential science is to everyday lives.
www.npr.org/2025/05/06/n...
That’s a dangerous disconnect.
Help us close the gap. Join our #SummerFightForScience and help spread the word about how essential science is to everyday lives.
www.npr.org/2025/05/06/n...
Reposted by April Thomas
On this anniversary of the Supreme Court Gault decision establishing children have the same due process rights as adults, we celebrate the victory but recognize the ongoing fight to realize its true promise.
Celebrating Gault, But Still Fighting | Juvenile Law Center
Today is the 50th Anniversary of In Re Gault, the U.S. Supreme Court case that granted children the right to counsel and other key due process protections when facing delinquency charges in juvenile c...
jlc.org
May 15, 2025 at 5:43 PM
On this anniversary of the Supreme Court Gault decision establishing children have the same due process rights as adults, we celebrate the victory but recognize the ongoing fight to realize its true promise.
I made my calls today to advocate for the importance of NSF funding! Did you? Make your calls today to #SaveNSF
Join the tri-society Week of Action for NSF! Get started with our Media Tool: shorturl.at/i7WfU
Share why NSF is important using #WithoutNSF #SaveNSF #SupportNSF
@asn-amnat.bsky.social @systbiol.bsky.social @ssegrad.bsky.social
Share why NSF is important using #WithoutNSF #SaveNSF #SupportNSF
@asn-amnat.bsky.social @systbiol.bsky.social @ssegrad.bsky.social
May 14, 2025 at 7:57 PM
I made my calls today to advocate for the importance of NSF funding! Did you? Make your calls today to #SaveNSF
Reposted by April Thomas
May 14, 2025 at 6:36 AM
Research shows juveniles differ from adults in ways that are meaningful for their criminal responsibility (i.e., impulsivity, susceptibility to peer influence, and ability to consider the future - including thinking about consequences of potential actions), thus warranting less harsh punishment.
Really appreciate the way Straight Arrow News frames its stories. Our own Marsha Levick spoke to them for this piece. Harsher treatment of children doesn’t make communities safer.
san.com/cc/rethinkin...
san.com/cc/rethinkin...
Rethinking juvenile justice: Should kids face harsher penalties for crimes?
The debate over punishing juveniles is back, with calls for harsher penalties. In the 1990s, youth offenders were labeled "super-predators."
san.com
May 14, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Research shows juveniles differ from adults in ways that are meaningful for their criminal responsibility (i.e., impulsivity, susceptibility to peer influence, and ability to consider the future - including thinking about consequences of potential actions), thus warranting less harsh punishment.
Reposted by April Thomas
For the first time in nearly 30 years, the EPA under Trump failed to release the U.S.’s annual greenhouse gas emissions report.
So a nonprofit did it instead.
Facts don’t disappear just because the government refuses to print them.
Read their findings below ⬇️
www.cbsnews.com/news/greenho...
So a nonprofit did it instead.
Facts don’t disappear just because the government refuses to print them.
Read their findings below ⬇️
www.cbsnews.com/news/greenho...
The EPA didn't release its annual U.S. greenhouse gas emissions report, but we got the data. Here's what we found
The Environmental Defense Fund published the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks after filing a Freedom of Information Act request last month.
www.cbsnews.com
May 13, 2025 at 3:26 PM
For the first time in nearly 30 years, the EPA under Trump failed to release the U.S.’s annual greenhouse gas emissions report.
So a nonprofit did it instead.
Facts don’t disappear just because the government refuses to print them.
Read their findings below ⬇️
www.cbsnews.com/news/greenho...
So a nonprofit did it instead.
Facts don’t disappear just because the government refuses to print them.
Read their findings below ⬇️
www.cbsnews.com/news/greenho...
Reposted by April Thomas
Don't miss a beat. Sign up for our email list and get the latest on our fight for youth rights and justice, and how you can help. jlc.org/newsletter-s...
May 8, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Don't miss a beat. Sign up for our email list and get the latest on our fight for youth rights and justice, and how you can help. jlc.org/newsletter-s...
Reposted by April Thomas
This is devastating. It will cause immense harm and make communities less safe. We know that youth justice programs like these benefit everyone. We condemn this cut to critical funds. imprintnews.org/justice/juve...
Trump Delivers Massive Blow to Youth Justice Programs | The Imprint
Trump administration cuts to federal grants threatens organizations with programs to prevent gun violence, protect runaways and more.
imprintnews.org
May 1, 2025 at 3:40 PM
This is devastating. It will cause immense harm and make communities less safe. We know that youth justice programs like these benefit everyone. We condemn this cut to critical funds. imprintnews.org/justice/juve...
Reposted by April Thomas
NEW BLOG ALERT!
Check out the newest entry on our blog from Kate Burdick where she dives into the many educational challenges youth face when their lives are disrupted by the family regulation & juvenile and criminal legal systems.
Read below!
#50for50
jlc.org/news/50-year...
Check out the newest entry on our blog from Kate Burdick where she dives into the many educational challenges youth face when their lives are disrupted by the family regulation & juvenile and criminal legal systems.
Read below!
#50for50
jlc.org/news/50-year...
50 Years of Disrupting the School to Prison Pipeline | Juvenile Law Center
Over and over again, the juvenile legal, criminal legal, and family regulation/child welfare systems pull children out of school and then deny them a quality education. Since its founding in 1975, Juv...
jlc.org
May 1, 2025 at 6:44 PM
NEW BLOG ALERT!
Check out the newest entry on our blog from Kate Burdick where she dives into the many educational challenges youth face when their lives are disrupted by the family regulation & juvenile and criminal legal systems.
Read below!
#50for50
jlc.org/news/50-year...
Check out the newest entry on our blog from Kate Burdick where she dives into the many educational challenges youth face when their lives are disrupted by the family regulation & juvenile and criminal legal systems.
Read below!
#50for50
jlc.org/news/50-year...
Reposted by April Thomas
The science that we do can matter.
NEW: In a landmark ruling, Michigan's supreme court has struck down mandatory life without parole sentences for youth up to age 21.
What this means: Nearly 600 Michiganders who expected to die in prison will now get a shot at a different outcome.
I took a few days to write about what's next:
What this means: Nearly 600 Michiganders who expected to die in prison will now get a shot at a different outcome.
I took a few days to write about what's next:
Another State Restricts Life Sentences for Young Adults - Bolts
Michigan’s supreme court created new protections against life sentences for people up to 20, pushing the line for who gets second chances beyond age 18.
boltsmag.org
April 18, 2025 at 3:12 PM
The science that we do can matter.
#WithoutNSF @caitcavanagh.bsky.social and I wouldn’t have been able to study the short and long-term effects of juvenile incarceration on youth development and future offending, or examine how the COVID-19 pandemic affected justice-involved youth. #SaveScience
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MAKE NOISE:
1. Share your story. Post how NSF funding has impacted your research or your life. Use #WithoutNSF to raise your voice.
2. Share your story on the Federal Freeze Tracker to help lawmakers and the public understand what’s at stake:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
MAKE NOISE:
1. Share your story. Post how NSF funding has impacted your research or your life. Use #WithoutNSF to raise your voice.
2. Share your story on the Federal Freeze Tracker to help lawmakers and the public understand what’s at stake:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Federal Funding Freeze: Share Your Story
Trump's funding freeze is causing chaos and harming Americans. Share your story to build the movement.
docs.google.com
May 7, 2025 at 10:45 AM
#WithoutNSF @caitcavanagh.bsky.social and I wouldn’t have been able to study the short and long-term effects of juvenile incarceration on youth development and future offending, or examine how the COVID-19 pandemic affected justice-involved youth. #SaveScience
Reposted by April Thomas
Sad, Sad, Sad, and shocking:
U.S. scientists’ lives and careers are being upended. Here are five of their stories @science.org @standupforscience.bsky.social www.science.org/content/arti...
U.S. scientists’ lives and careers are being upended. Here are five of their stories @science.org @standupforscience.bsky.social www.science.org/content/arti...
U.S. scientists’ lives and careers are being upended. Here are five of their stories
As the second Trump administration sends U.S. science into upheaval, countless researchers are fighting for their futures
www.science.org
May 6, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Sad, Sad, Sad, and shocking:
U.S. scientists’ lives and careers are being upended. Here are five of their stories @science.org @standupforscience.bsky.social www.science.org/content/arti...
U.S. scientists’ lives and careers are being upended. Here are five of their stories @science.org @standupforscience.bsky.social www.science.org/content/arti...
New article alert w/ @caitcavanagh.bsky.social and others! In this daily diary study, we explored how virtual social interactions (i.e., via phone or online) affected the mood and mental health of justice-involved and community adolescents across the first year of the pandemic.
t.co/DxOa8NwMC0
t.co/DxOa8NwMC0
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00938548251336784
t.co
May 6, 2025 at 4:05 PM
New article alert w/ @caitcavanagh.bsky.social and others! In this daily diary study, we explored how virtual social interactions (i.e., via phone or online) affected the mood and mental health of justice-involved and community adolescents across the first year of the pandemic.
t.co/DxOa8NwMC0
t.co/DxOa8NwMC0
Reposted by April Thomas
Last week was Youth Violence Prevention Week! Here's an op-ed I wrote about violence prevention efforts in Michigan.
cj.msu.edu/news/2025-ca...
cj.msu.edu/news/2025-ca...
Preventing Youth Violence in Michigan | School of Criminal Justice | Michigan State University
For Youth Violence Prevention Week, Dr. Cait Cavanagh wrote this op-ed discussing preventing youth violence in Michigan.
cj.msu.edu
May 6, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Last week was Youth Violence Prevention Week! Here's an op-ed I wrote about violence prevention efforts in Michigan.
cj.msu.edu/news/2025-ca...
cj.msu.edu/news/2025-ca...
Reposted by April Thomas
Spencer Foundation joins Kapor Foundation, the William T. Grant Foundation, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to launch a rapid response bridge funding program (up to $25,000) for education scholars impacted by the abrupt grant cancellations by the National Science Foundation (NSF)!
#AcademicSky
#AcademicSky
Rapid Response Bridge Funding Program
In the face of recent abrupt shifts in federal funding for education research, including large-scale terminations of National Science Foundation (NSF) research grant awards, we have developed a rap...
www.spencer.org
May 2, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Spencer Foundation joins Kapor Foundation, the William T. Grant Foundation, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to launch a rapid response bridge funding program (up to $25,000) for education scholars impacted by the abrupt grant cancellations by the National Science Foundation (NSF)!
#AcademicSky
#AcademicSky
Reposted by April Thomas
Want to up your game on vaccination to inform family members, neighbors, friends, or students (or yourself)? This in-depth review covers a lot of ground, including the history of vaccination, vaccine technologies, and public health benefits 🧪 #AcademicSky www.frontiersin.org/journals/pub...
Frontiers | Two centuries of vaccination: historical and conceptual approach and future perspectives
Over the past two centuries, vaccines have been critical for the prevention of infectious diseases and are considered milestones in the medical and public he...
www.frontiersin.org
May 4, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Want to up your game on vaccination to inform family members, neighbors, friends, or students (or yourself)? This in-depth review covers a lot of ground, including the history of vaccination, vaccine technologies, and public health benefits 🧪 #AcademicSky www.frontiersin.org/journals/pub...
Reposted by April Thomas
President Donald Trump and his administration have gutted science agencies, terminated research programmes and cancelled billions of dollars in grants to universities. A feature in Nature examines the long-term impacts for the US and the world. #Academicsky 🧪
Will US science survive Trump 2.0?
President Donald Trump and his administration have gutted science agencies, terminated research programmes and cancelled billions of dollars in grants to universities. What are the long-term impacts for the United States and the world?
go.nature.com
May 3, 2025 at 10:17 PM
President Donald Trump and his administration have gutted science agencies, terminated research programmes and cancelled billions of dollars in grants to universities. A feature in Nature examines the long-term impacts for the US and the world. #Academicsky 🧪
Reposted by April Thomas
The May 2025 Juvenile Justice Bulletin is here!
This month's newsletter from the Rutgers Juvenile Justice & Youth Development Certificate Program issues a call to action on behalf of justice-involved youth in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month.
Download at adobe.ly/4cZG0ro
This month's newsletter from the Rutgers Juvenile Justice & Youth Development Certificate Program issues a call to action on behalf of justice-involved youth in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month.
Download at adobe.ly/4cZG0ro
May 5, 2025 at 5:57 PM
The May 2025 Juvenile Justice Bulletin is here!
This month's newsletter from the Rutgers Juvenile Justice & Youth Development Certificate Program issues a call to action on behalf of justice-involved youth in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month.
Download at adobe.ly/4cZG0ro
This month's newsletter from the Rutgers Juvenile Justice & Youth Development Certificate Program issues a call to action on behalf of justice-involved youth in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month.
Download at adobe.ly/4cZG0ro
Reposted by April Thomas
In association with the @ap-ls.org's Corrections Committee, we have officially launched the Correctional Psychology Forum--a respectful online space to make connections, generate healthy discussions, and share evidence-informed resources related to correctional psychology issues. #corrections
May 6, 2025 at 3:39 AM
In association with the @ap-ls.org's Corrections Committee, we have officially launched the Correctional Psychology Forum--a respectful online space to make connections, generate healthy discussions, and share evidence-informed resources related to correctional psychology issues. #corrections
Reposted by April Thomas
Remember the awesome COVID-19 dashboard Hopkins created and populated during the pandemic? They are back but this time tracking measles
Measles Outbreak Response | Center for Outbreak Response Innovation
cori.centerforhealthsecurity.org
May 4, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Remember the awesome COVID-19 dashboard Hopkins created and populated during the pandemic? They are back but this time tracking measles
Reposted by April Thomas
🚨 On May 1, 2025, in cities across the US, we will gather in solidarity—honoring the legacy of workers who organized for the 8-hour day.
Today, we face a new threat. A billionaire-backed minority is quietly reshaping our democracy.
BUT a peaceful People’s Movement is growing. 👉 www.FiftyFifty.one
Today, we face a new threat. A billionaire-backed minority is quietly reshaping our democracy.
BUT a peaceful People’s Movement is growing. 👉 www.FiftyFifty.one
April 25, 2025 at 1:30 AM
🚨 On May 1, 2025, in cities across the US, we will gather in solidarity—honoring the legacy of workers who organized for the 8-hour day.
Today, we face a new threat. A billionaire-backed minority is quietly reshaping our democracy.
BUT a peaceful People’s Movement is growing. 👉 www.FiftyFifty.one
Today, we face a new threat. A billionaire-backed minority is quietly reshaping our democracy.
BUT a peaceful People’s Movement is growing. 👉 www.FiftyFifty.one
Reposted by April Thomas
Discover how policies can help create a more hopeful and equitable future for youth in the justice system with the new Rutgers JJYD course Redefining Justice: Policies That Empower Youth, live on Zoom April 24 & May 1, from 1p to 4p EST. Register at bit.ly/4jftPct
April 17, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Discover how policies can help create a more hopeful and equitable future for youth in the justice system with the new Rutgers JJYD course Redefining Justice: Policies That Empower Youth, live on Zoom April 24 & May 1, from 1p to 4p EST. Register at bit.ly/4jftPct
Reposted by April Thomas
"The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights. Neither Harvard nor any other private university can allow itself to be taken over by the federal government."
www.harvard.edu/president/ne...
www.harvard.edu/president/ne...
The Promise of American Higher Education
No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue
www.harvard.edu
April 14, 2025 at 5:37 PM
"The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights. Neither Harvard nor any other private university can allow itself to be taken over by the federal government."
www.harvard.edu/president/ne...
www.harvard.edu/president/ne...
Reposted by April Thomas
Do not normalize children dying from measles. Measles was previously eliminated in the US, thanks to vaccines.
When children die from measles, it means that adults have catastrophically failed to protect them because they have rejected basic science.
When children die from measles, it means that adults have catastrophically failed to protect them because they have rejected basic science.
April 7, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Do not normalize children dying from measles. Measles was previously eliminated in the US, thanks to vaccines.
When children die from measles, it means that adults have catastrophically failed to protect them because they have rejected basic science.
When children die from measles, it means that adults have catastrophically failed to protect them because they have rejected basic science.