Linda Teplin

Linda Teplin is the Owen L. Coon Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University Medical School and Director of the Psycho-Legal Studies Program. Her work bridges psychiatric epidemiology, juvenile justice, and public health policy, with a focus on marginalized populations.

• Education: PhD from Northwestern University (1975)
• Key Roles: Leading the Psycho-Legal Studies Program, directing the long-term Northwestern Juvenile Project, and advising criminal justice reform initiatives.
• Research Themes: Long-term consequences of juvenile incarceration, HIV/AIDS risk behaviors in detained youth, and mental health inequities.

Her research emphasizes longitudinal studies tracking youth from detention through adulthood, revealing systemic disparities in health outcomes. This includes groundbreaking work on firearm violence prevention and the interplay between incarceration, substance use disorders, and mental health.

Publications demonstrate expertise in aging populations with HIV, LGBTQ+ health disparities, and policy-informed interventions. Her work often collaborates with federal agencies to translate research into actionable reforms.