Well-Schooled in Murder Higgins O’Brien Spring 2012

In the mid 1990's, the United States began experiencing a downward trend in youth violence and murder But there was a troubling new phenomenon; school shootings in suburban and rural communities Areas that typically had little crime did not understand how to deal with these attacks, and media and public attention skyrocketed Multiple-victim shootings and mass murder were brought into the national spotlight

The Risk of School Homicide Most school homicide incidents are single-victim murder involving gang activity or interpersonal disputes School contains certain risks Large numbers of children in confined spaces Feelings of inadequacy, fear, hostility, rejection, and boredom Hazing/Bullying Just as adults can do with their workplace, children can blame the school for their problems

Copycat Shootings There have always been alienated youth in society, so criminologists have tried to explain what cultural changes have taken place There may be more access to firearms Highly publicized cases of school shootings have now put the idea in students' minds Some individuals may look up to shooters as a hero or inspiration for their own crime Critics believe that only those with a preexisting mental condition can be persuaded by the media

Adult School Shooters While not as prolific as youth offenders, there are cases of adults targeting schools Mental illness, “getting back” at society, and sexual motivations can be possible causes In 2006, Charles Roberts IV took ten young girls hostage in an Amish schoolhouse in Pennsylvania He boarded up the room and intended to sexually assault them, but police arrived sooner than he anticipated Roberts shot all of them at close range, killing 5 He then committed suicide

Explaining School Massacres Some killers may be considered psychopathic Disregard other humans, enjoy the power of killing Some killers may have no grasp on reality Some killers may be responding to their own traumatic background Mistreatment at home or by fellow students at school Studies have linked long term bullying, social isolation, poor coping skills, and an exaggerated need for attention/respect with school shooters

Explaining School Massacres continued Vast majority of offenders are male, especially true for cases with multiple victims Victims tend to be female Some believe offenders are getting back at girls who have rejected them Others believe that teasing and insults question the masculinity of offenders, and that violence is their way to feel powerful There is no one cause or link between offenders, but certain risk factors have been identified Lack of encouragement and self esteem, childhood instability, lack of popularity in school, poor peer choices, being shorter than the norm, perceived as effeminate, and access to weapons

Blaming Parents Parents of school shooters receive enormous amounts of pressure and guilt Both personally and from the community It is realistic to assume parents are responsible for the actions of young children, but during teenage years youth begin to make their own choices in life Many offenders had supportive parents who tried to offer them help to succeed academically and socially

Fear Factor

Responses to School Shootings After the Columbine shootings, schools around the U.S. installed metal detectors, cameras, and even guards to protect the school setting This has had unintended consequences Very expensive for school districts Incidents of elementary children being suspended for “hit lists” or “pretending to shoot a gun” Safety measures may have little real impact on preventing violence Warning signs were missed when offenders told teachers or students of their plans, this has forced school officials to take all rumors seriously

Responses to School Shootings continued One of the best approaches to reduce violence through prediction is to lower the caseload of teachers and guidance counselors Current detection systems create many false negatives There are many unhappy and frustrated youth Working one on one with students offers a good chance to address needs Programs that currently receive criticism - Public service announcements (ineffective) - Zero tolerance policies (further marginalize troubled kids) - Door lock policies (make it difficult for children to flee building) - Proposals to arm teachers (questionable, as even police in combat situations have very low accuracy)

Healthy and Safe Schools Despite school violence hype, schools are actually the safest place for kids to be Regardless, safety plans and procedures are important, and deserve focus and evaluation After-school programs involve the community, and can aide the children who need help the most

Combating School Bullying Administrators around the country have strongly focused on the issue of bullying Implementing programs to teach sensitivity and empathy among students Training teachers to recognize forms of intimidation Don't just focus on the victim/offender, but create a positive school environment This has proven to be difficult, as many still believe victims need to “stand up for themselves” Some have likened this to victim blaming; that the victims are responsible for being picked on

Combating School Bullying continued Creating negatives for bullies is difficult Bullies often receive tangible or social rewards Unhappy misfits who abuse others is a misconception, bullies are often seen as cool or popular among their peers Aggression and dominance is often rewarded in society; sports, business, and politics

On to College The Virginia Tech shooting awakened the public to the fact that the same problems that exist for young students can persist in college Universities pose even more difficulties for security Campuses contain many different buildings, with many different entrances/exits Colleges promote freedom, tight security measures may create an unfavorable environment for students, this may lead them to look for other schooling options Offenders are typically older, graduate students who cannot cope with academic or life strains