From Religious to Secular Justice: The Transformation of Legal Treatment of Sexual Misconduct in Colonial Massachusetts
During my second academic year, I continued my exploration of gender dynamics in American legal history. While reading the relevant historical materials about early America, a woman named Mary Latham caught my attention. Her rebellious behavior within marriage and the way the Massachusetts court dealt with her demonstrated the colonial society's understanding, control, and fear of female sexuality. So I continued my research and eventually produced this paper about the transformation in the early American legal system regarding sexual misconduct.
Advisor: Professor Michael Willrich
Judicial Paternalism and Gender Bias in the late 20th Century American Juvenile Justice System
In the late 20th century, American society is characterized by a rising number of youth crimes and increasing “toughened” criminal policies. It is worth noticing that American juvenile courts involved gender bias in their judgments and measurement of penalties, that young women were treated more severely at trials and sentencing. In this research paper from my class “American Legal History II,” I delved into state-level acts and specific treatments that concern juvenile delinquency to investigate the presence of gender bias in the juvenile justice system during the late 20th century.
Advisor: Professor Michael Willrich