Theresa Sidders
Intro to Criminology
02/29/2012
The School Shooter
Perspective Threat Assessment In July of 1999 a symposium in Leesburg, VA was held to present a systematic procedure for the threat assessment and intervention of violence in our schools. The results from a 1998 study done by the FBI’s National Center for Analysis of Violent Crime are being used to formulate concepts and principles to address and prevent school shootings. In this study, eighteen school shootings were reviewed and the combined information is being used to bring better knowledge of the behavioral prospective of the shooters. Although it is almost impossible to “profile” a shooter, there are some situations that are similar in the separate cases. Instead of focusing on the misinformation that is given by the media about the shooters, i.e. that all the school shooters tend to be loners, or that they are all motivated by revenge, this symposium is focused on what possible types of behaviors, family and social backgrounds that may play a part in these individuals lives that the schools can be made aware of ahead of time in order to prevent any further school shootings from happening. Understanding that a threat, is an expression of intent to cause harm or act out violently against someone or something. This can be done verbally, in writing or by using symbols, for example, using one’s hands to form of a gun. After a threat is made it is necessary to determine what category the threat falls under, direct, indirect, veiled or conditional threat. Once that is established it is easier to evaluate the type of threat that has been given. Is there an emotional content to the threat or were there any precipitating stressors that could have triggered the threat identified? Once the type of threat is established and the level of threat is recognized and evaluated, the Four-Prong Assessment Approach is used to determine if the threat will be carried out. Prong One is the “Personality of the Student” which entails how the student copes with conflicts or failures. Also, how the student feels about himself and how he believes others see him. Prong Two is “Family Dynamics”, this pertains to what roles, customs, behavior and values the family possess. Prong Three – “School Dynamics” which are the customs, roles, and values that exist within the school’s culture, and Prong Four – “Social Dynamics” which consists of customs, beliefs and roles that exist in the community where the student lives. After the four prongs are looked at and how they play a part with the shooter, there is a comprehensive list of personality traits, behavior and family situations that is looked at to determine which if any the student may possess. Some of the traits that a shooter may possess are feelings of alienation, narcissism, depression, negative role models, anger issues, excessive need for attention, an obsession with violence, has access to weapons and a bad parental relationship. There are many more traits that are also looked at to determine if the student might be one who would carry out such an act. The Intervention Process at the conclusion of the symposium stresses the importance of “A clear and vigorous response is essential for three reasons: first and most important, to make sure that students, teachers and staff are safe; second to assure that they will feel safe; and third, to assure that the person making the threat will be supervised and given the treatment that is appropriate and necessary to avoid future danger to others or himself”. It is also recognized the importance of the need for schools to adopt a well thought-out plan for responding to threats, and where the role of the law enforcement fits into that plan. It is ironic that this assignment is due this week in that this past Monday, February 29, 2012 there was another school shooting reported, this time at the Chardon High School, in Chardon, Ohio. The shooter was a seventeen year old T.J. Lane, who was not a student at Chardon. He allegedly went into the cafeteria and shot 10 shots at random students. Of the five students that were hit, three have died. Lane then ran from the cafeteria with a teacher who followed after him. Lane was caught a short time later. A number of people who knew the Lane family stated that he was a “nice boy” from a “broken home”, with reports of domestic violence calls on the Lane’s father against his mother. Lane reportedly was a good student with above average grades. They also stated that there were no signs of any issues bothering the boy. As of today, no motive has been reported.
