Dr. April Gile Thomas is a developmental psychologist and Assistant Professor in the area of Legal Psychology. Her expertise centers on adolescent development, particularly as it pertains to risk-taking and juvenile delinquency. Her research examines causes and consequences of both normative and atypical risk behavior during adolescence. Her recent work has focused on adolescents’ susceptibility to parental and peer influence. Through her research, Dr. Thomas seeks to use developmental science to inform public policy regarding how youth should be treated in the justice system. For example, she has used research on adolescent development to argue against the use of laws that view sexting by minors as child pornography, as well as to advocate for policies that raise the age at which a juvenile can be tried as an adult in court.