guns

“Zero tolerance” disciplinary policies arose in the late 1980s and early 1990s in response to perceptions of rising school violence. The concept was simple: Students who committed certain infractions were to be expelled or given out-of-school suspension regardless of individual circumstances.

What is the relationship between firearm availability and murder rates? It’s a complex question, and answering it involves weighing a number of variables.

The U.S. Constitution has been a respected model for governance around the world for two centuries. According to a 2012 study by scholars from Washington University and the University of Virginia School of Law, as of 1987, 160 of 170 international constitutions were based at least partially on it. But 25 years later, is this still the case as constitutions continue to be written and revised?

Social issues — and the associated “culture war” in America — continue to play prominent roles in politics. There is an ingrained notion of a static political standoff: To many, the country seems split into two camps that have stubbornly dug in on issues. But survey data suggests that public support for some social issues has fluctuated significantly over recent history.

Sexual minority youths — those who self-identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or unsure of their sexuality — remain underrepresented in the academic data on youth issues. Such information is crucial for schools and education systems, in particular, as they look to design and improve outreach and intervention programs to address the health needs of this population.