GJPLP | Online

Forensic Trauma: How “Baby Doe” Prosecutions Target Low-Income Communities

April 3, 2026 by Deborah Wey Access to Justice Criminal Justice Family

Fetal mortality rates in the United States have been on an overall decline since the 1990s,[1] but data demonstrates that there is a stillbirth crisis across the nation.[2] Yale School of Medicine found that 20% of all pregnancies across the United States…

It is Past Time to Invest in Children Again

January 8, 2026 by Mitchell Glover Education Family

When the United States federal government needed women’s labor during World War II, it publicly funded childcare upon the assertion, “[y]ou cannot have a contented mother working . . . if she is worrying about her children.”[1] Currently, in 2025…

The Shutdown and the Safety Net Crisis

November 12, 2025 by Cecilia D’Arms Access to Justice Education Family Food Security Health Housing and Homelessness

On October 31, 2025, the same day two federal judges ordered the Trump Administration to stop withholding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Payments (SNAP), formerly food stamps, from the 42 million Americans who rely on it,[1] the United States Department…

The Problem of School Lunch Debt

December 18, 2023 by Rachel Danner Access to Justice Education Family Food Security Health

Senate Democrats have recently introduced a new bill directing the Secretary of Agriculture to “cancel and eliminate all debts” associated with school breakfast and lunch programs.[1] The Act, titled the “School Lunch Debt Cancellation Act of 2023…

Addressing Disproportionate Poverty in the LGBTQ+ Community

March 18, 2023 by Shannon Henris Family Rights

In a previous piece,[1] I discussed anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination and associated barriers to accessing public benefits in the United States. Addressing the compounding inequities faced by LGBTQ+ individuals will require a multi-faceted approach on two levels:…

Improving Access to TANF Cash Assistance is a Public Health Imperative

March 17, 2023 by Courtney Bernard Access to Justice Family

It is well-known that economic instability contributes to poor physical and mental health outcomes for adults and children alike.[1] This concept entered the societal consciousness even further with the onset of COVID-19 where economic insecurity was…