problem solution essay school shootings

studpaper.com

Home / Samples / Crime / Essay Example: Problem-Solution Essay about School Shooting

Essay Example: Problem-Solution Essay about School Shooting

Title: Addressing the Epidemic of School Shootings: A Comprehensive Problem-Solution Analysis

Introduction:

In recent decades, the alarming rise in school shootings has become a grave concern for communities, parents, educators, and policymakers alike. These tragic events shatter the sanctity of educational institutions, leaving behind a trail of grief, trauma, and questions about the safety of our schools. This essay aims to delve into the multifaceted problem of school shootings, examining its root causes and proposing comprehensive solutions to mitigate this societal epidemic.

Understanding the Problem:

School shootings are complex phenomena rooted in a combination of social, psychological, and systemic factors. It is essential to recognize that these events often result from a convergence of individual vulnerabilities, access to firearms, mental health issues, and a broader cultural landscape that normalizes violence. The prevalence of bullying, social isolation, and the glorification of violence in media further exacerbate the risk factors associated with school shootings.

Root Causes:

Mental Health Stigma:

• Solution: Implement comprehensive mental health education programs in schools to reduce stigma and foster a supportive environment. Increase access to mental health professionals who can identify and address potential issues early on.

Easy Access to Firearms:

• Solution: Advocate for stricter gun control measures, including universal background checks, waiting periods, and limitations on high-capacity magazines. Encourage responsible gun ownership through education and awareness campaigns.

Bullying and Social Isolation:

• Solution: Implement anti-bullying programs that promote empathy and inclusivity. Foster a culture of open communication within schools, enabling students to report bullying without fear of retaliation.

Media Influence:

• Solution: Collaborate with media outlets to promote responsible portrayal of violence. Encourage the creation and support of media literacy programs to help students critically analyze and understand the impact of media on their behavior.

Inadequate School Security Measures:

• Solution: Invest in robust security infrastructure, including surveillance systems, controlled access points, and trained security personnel. Conduct regular drills to ensure preparedness without causing unnecessary anxiety among students.

Comprehensive Solutions:

Early Intervention Programs:

• Establish proactive intervention strategies to identify students at risk of engaging in violent behavior. This includes counseling, mentorship, and support services to address underlying issues before they escalate.

Community Involvement:

• Foster collaboration between schools, law enforcement, mental health professionals, and community organizations. Encourage community members to report concerns and create a network of support to address potential threats.

Legislation and Policy Reform:

• Advocate for legislative measures that address the root causes of school shootings. This may include stricter gun control laws, increased funding for mental health services, and policies to enhance school safety.

Promoting a Positive School Culture:

• Emphasize the importance of empathy, tolerance, and inclusivity within school curricula. Implement character education programs to instill values that discourage violence and promote a sense of community.

Parental Involvement and Education:

• Engage parents in the school community through regular communication and involvement in their children’s education. Provide resources and workshops to educate parents on recognizing signs of distress in their children and how to address them.

Conclusion:

Addressing the epidemic of school shootings requires a multifaceted approach that combines legislative action, community involvement, and a fundamental shift in the culture within schools. By tackling the root causes and implementing comprehensive solutions, society can work together to create a safer and more nurturing environment for students, ensuring that schools become spaces of learning, growth, and security rather than scenes of tragedy and trauma. It is only through collective effort and sustained commitment that we can hope to curb the alarming rise of school shootings and build a future where every student feels safe and supported.

Related Samples:

• Essay Example: Opioid Epidemic in the USA and Its Main Causes
• Essay Example: School Shooting: Analysis Of The Article The Righteous Anger Of The Parkland Shooting’s Teen Survivors
• Essay Example: Informative Essay on School Shooting as a Major Social Problem
• Essay Example: Essay on School Shooting
• Essay Example: Media Violence And Its Effect On Mass Shootings
• Essay Example: The Role Of Trauma Disorders In Criminal History Of Serial Killers And Mass Shooters

Looking for this or a Similar Assignment? Click below to Place your Order

Request for Studpaper Writing Service Today!

With a team of over 1500 homework writing experts, we are prepared and eager to assist you in enhancing your writing skills

Who We Are Contact Us FAQs

Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Refund Policy Revision Policy Terms and conditions Fair user disclaimer

Blog Pricing Samples Expert

Using this writing service is legal and is not prohibited by any university/college policies. MD: Looking for technical writing help? Get professional technical writing help from our academic experts

The papers we provide at Studpaper should serve as model and reference papers for our clients. These research papers should solely be used for reference purposes.

Copyright © 2024 Studpaper. All rights reserved.

School Shooting and Firearms in the United States Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Causes of the problem, the impact of school shootings on the education system, the effects of mass media coverage on the prevalence of school shootings, legislations in response to school shootings, works cited.

In the context of the events that happened in the past two or three decades (such as the tragedy in Columbine), it is possible to state with certainty that school shootings appear to be one of the most prevalent and worrying social problems in the contemporary United States. Statistically, there is a gradual increase in the number of students killed in such mass shootings.

One of the most recent school shootings that occurred on February 14, 2018, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida is mentioned by Katsiyannis et al. as the “deadliest U.S. school shooting to date,” and also the authors argue that it “serves as a powerful reminder that school violence is ever-present” (2562). The situation requires not only an immediate response but also long-term continuous work towards the improvement of the current situation is urgently needed. It is possible to state that school shootings in the United States are a highly complex social problem that impacts various spheres of social, political, and economic life in the country.

School shootings represent a highly important moral concern for the whole population of America. Such events, as they have occurred more frequently in the last decade, create an atmosphere of terror and uncertainty (Beland and Kim 113). It affects the educational system to a considerable degree (Beland and Kim 113). Another highly significant aspect of the problem is the involvement of mass media in the creation of such an atmosphere.

However, the most evident reason for the prevalence of mass school shootings is the current firearm law, which provides the access to weapons to nearly everyone who has an intent to obtain it. The thesis statement of this argumentative essay could be formulated as follows: school shootings, as they are one of the most significant social problems in America in recent years, are subject to a profound discussion about the important aspects of this phenomenon to develop perspectives on possible solutions for the improvement of the issue.

First of all, it is essential to observe the causes of the problem to put further reasoning in the proper context. As it is evident from the brief overview of the situation given in the introduction, the issue under consideration has numerous underlying reasons, which often influence each other reciprocally (Katsiyannis et al. 2562). For example, Fox and DeLateur mentioned in their article that politicians, pundits, and professors of various disciplines had been promoting various proposals for change even before the Newtown’s Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, which was considered to be “the final death toll” by the authors (126). Some of these stakeholders “talked about the role of guns, others about access to mental health services, and still more about the need for enhanced security in schools and other public places” (Fox and DeLateur 126). However, from a large-scale perspective, the most apparent problem is the availability of firearms caused by the current legislation.

Another highly important factor that influences the continuous occurrence of school shootings is the impact of mass media. It is possible to notice that, in the contemporary society, mass media, including television, newspapers, radio as well as the Internet and social media platforms, plays an immensely important role by providing the population with various information. It could be further suggested that mass media is capable of promoting ideas and behaviors. Since people are often not able to access the information about events, which are covered by various media platforms, they have to believe what is shown to them. Therefore, the media coverage of such events as school shootings, although it does not intend to praise or promote gun violence among teenagers and young people, could influence the promotion of mass shooting ideas indirectly. This factor will be later discussed in the separate section since it requires a profound examination.

It is also highly apparent that school shootings have a considerably negative impact on the contemporary education system. As was stated previously, school shootings have tended to happen more often in the past decade than it was in the 90s, and thus the atmosphere of terror, disbelief, and paranoia was established. It could be suggested that school students suffer the most from the occurrence of such events. People who were directly involved in school shootings as victims and survived this tragedy are traumatized significantly by this experience. The impact of such psychological, as well as physical, traumas could hardly be underestimated as it negatively influences nearly every sphere of the individual’s life. Accordingly, it is logical to assume that the student’s academic performance will be considerably aggravated by the traumatizing experience. Even though they were not directly traumatized by school shootings, people who were involved in such events could also be negatively affected, as they will fear for their lives or expect one of their classmates to be the next shooter. Therefore, this factor needs an additional investigation in the separate section.

The third factor that should be mentioned in the context of this discussion is the prevalence of mental illnesses and the current state of the United States healthcare system at large. One of the most significant problems in this area of concern is that mental disorders are largely stigmatized by society, especially among the children of school age (Metzl and MacLeish 240). People could be excluded from socializing based on their mental state. It could also be problematic for a teenager to access proper treatment for his or her mental illness, or an individual could consider his or her condition as something that does not need any medical or psychological treatment. Moreover, it is apparent from numerous cases that the majority of people involved in school shootings as shooters have troubles in the sphere of mental health at least to some extent (Metzl and MacLeish 240).

The correlation between the mental state of a person and the probability of him or her being involved in crimes is well-recognized and studied in contemporary academic literature. For example, Metzl and MacLeish assume that psychiatric diagnosis can predict gun crime, and also that school shootings “represent the deranged acts of mentally ill loners” (240). Also, Fox and Fridel mention the following typical characteristics of a mass shooter, which are often disregarded by the society and only come into focus with hindsight: “depression, resentment, social isolation, externalization of blame, fascination with weapons and violent entertainment, and even verbal or written expressions of hate or malice” (14). Therefore, it is essential to notice that people with mental illnesses, even though they should not be automatically considered as potential school shooters, are to be treated with special attention. In the majority of cases, people try to seek help to cope with the stress factors of their life which they do not know how to deal with alone.

At this point, it is evident that the mentioned factor could hardly be adequately estimated, evaluated, and analyzed separately. It is essential to perceive the causes of school shootings as a highly complex set of interdependent reasons that influence each other reciprocally. Therefore, the following sections will attempt to dwell upon the discussion of more particular aspects of the mentioned domains of the overall problem under consideration. Legislations in response to school shootings will be observed in the last part of this essay as they appear to be the key approach to a more stable and adequate situation. Therefore, it is essential to first observe the existing legislative acts, and then to propose possible solutions and improvement for the current situation to develop a comprehensive conclusion.

As was suggested previously, school shootings could have a vast impact on the academic performance of students and other school-related measures. The study by Beland and Kim is focused on this particular topic, as the authors argue that “the educational consequences of deadly school shootings on enrollment and student performance are not well known” even though this phenomenon is largely covered in media (113). The authors investigate a wide range of aspects that are affected by the occurrence of such events. Among these factors, it is possible to mention the following: enrollment patterns, negative changes in test scores in the subsequent year, as well as behavioral variables such as graduation, attendance, and suspension rates (Beland and Kim 113).

As a result of their study, the authors came to conclusions that are considerably similar to the previously developed premises about the impact of school shootings on the educational system. In general, the authors state that students are directly affected by shootings (Beland and Kim 124). In particular, it is possible to state that math and English standardized test results show a considerable decline after a shooting occurs at a school (Beland and Kim 123). Therefore, the previously formulated assumption about the traumatizing experience that negatively affects the students’ academic performance is true. Also, enrollment patterns change. In schools, which experienced a homicidal mass shooting, the number of people who enroll in Grade 9 drops considerably (Beland and Kim 123). However, the authors did find out that such events have no significant influence on such measures as suspension, graduation, or average daily attendance rates. In general, it is possible to observe that the magnitude of the problem of school shootings is immense.

In this section, the discussion is largely based on the phenomenon of mass media in the context of its vast impact on the prevalence and, indirectly, the promotion of mass school shootings. Regarding the issue of interest from a broader perspective, it is appropriate to observe that each school shooting is a tragedy, which repeatedly devastates communities and shakes public opinions (Garcia-Bernardo et al. 1). It is also apparent that such events are largely driven by personal intents and motivations, and also rarely there are apparent signals or precursors, and thus it is significantly difficult to predict a school shooting. Nevertheless, the study by Garcia-Bernardo et al. attempts to identify the role of the copycat effect in school shootings as well as the correlation between the amount of information about such an event provided by a mass media platform and the prevalence of the copycat effect.

One of the most principal findings made by Garcia-Bernardo et al. is the significance of the copycat effect in the context of school shootings investigation. As it is mentioned in the article, the interaction between attacks on schools “can be attributed to an acute ‘issue-attention cycle’ with the media reacting strongly to every attack” (Garcia-Bernardo et al. 5). The authors developed their conclusions based on the profound and very inclusive investigation of a large number of tweets since Twitter appears to be one of the most prevalent and diverse social media platforms/mass media. The authors also investigate FBI databases about school shootings. One of the principal findings of the study is that “social media publicity about school shootings correlates with an increase in the probability of new attacks” (Garcia-Bernardo et al. 6). The research is based on the use of a comprehensive mathematical theory, and thus it is possible to state with certainty that the results are reliable.

The Concept of Contagion in the Context of School Shootings

Another concept that should be mentioned in the context of the impact of mass media coverage on the probability of school shootings is contagion. The article by Towers et al. focuses on the implementation of the concept of contagion as a framework for analyzing the phenomenon of school shootings (see Fig. 2). The authors reinforce the findings of the article by Garcia-Bernardo et al., stating that “media reports of suicides and homicides appear to subsequently increase the incidence of similar events in the community” (Towers et al. 1). However, the originality of the approach by Towers et al. is that they use the contagion model to analyze how the occurrence of school shootings increases the probability of a similar event in the immediate future.

The findings of the study by Towers et al., as well as those of the article by Garcia-Bernardo et al., reinforce the assumption which was made in the causes section of this paper. Contemporary mass media appears to be a highly influencing force in terms of spreading ideas and creating a public opinion about various things. In the context of school shootings, Towers et al. suggest that the temporary increase in the probability of another shooting lasts for 13 days on average since the day of the antecedent shooting (1). Therefore, it could be concluded that the spreading of school shooting ideas is considerably similar to the process of contagion.

In the final section of the paper before the conclusion, it is essential to overview how the problem of school shootings is responded to by the current legislative acts and what could be possibly done to improve the situation. As it was mentioned several times previously, the importance of gun control is considered to be one of the most important aspects of decreasing the negative impact of mass shootings. This perspective is well-recognized in the contemporary academic literature. For example, studies by Kalesan et al., Katsiyannis et al., as well as Metzl and MacLeish indicate that the existing firearms laws are not significantly efficient in terms of preventing school shootings.

It is possible to assume that one of the most worrying aspects of the current firearm legislation is that there are few attempts to regulate the weapon ownership in households where children or teenagers can access these weapons. As it is mentioned by Schildkraut and Hernandez, Adam Lanza, the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooter, obtained guns that had his mother (359). Other studies also exemplify similar circumstances that preceded other school shootings. Therefore, it is essential to propose that more strict and thorough rules of gun ownership, possession, and storage were created. Another problem, which is mentioned by Vlahov, is that there have been no government-sponsored studies on the issue of mass shootings since 1996 (293). Therefore, it is particularly difficult to estimate the potential efficiency of newly proposed gun laws. Accordingly, it is of high significance to create and promote a community-based and research-based firearm legislation agenda.

However, one of the most effective means of decreasing access to weapons and thus lowering the probability of school shootings is the implementation of background checks for those who wish to purchase weapons. For example, Kalesan et al. state that, as of 2013, only “14 out of the 50 states and District of Columbia had some form of background checks (BCs) for firearm purchase, out of which 5 states required BC for handgun purchases alone but not for long guns or assault weapons” (321). A considerable part of the article by Schildkraut and Hernandez is also dedicated to the discussion of background check legislation. The authors argue that even though such legislation exists, they often do not adequately work (Schildkraut and Hernandez 369). However, it is proven statistically that states with background check laws for firearm and ammunition purchases have lower school shooting incidence rates (Kalesan et al. 326). Therefore, it is essential to implement such legislation.

As to conclude on the conducted analysis, it is essential to restate the immense significance of the problem of school shootings for contemporary America. Considering the thesis statement of this paper, it is possible to extend it by observing that the phenomenon of school shootings is a highly complex set of factors and variables which influence each other reciprocally, and thus it is considerably difficult to predict and prevent such events. Nevertheless, several important arguments could be made to build a comprehensive conclusion on how to decrease the negative impact of the problem under discussion.

First of all, firearm legislation should be changed with the help of the government so that it would be more difficult for teenagers to access various weapons. This aspect of the proposed solution includes the creation of a community and research-based agenda, the implementation of more thorough background checks, and stricter regulation of the conditions of firearm possession. Secondly, it is argued that it is essential to pay more attention to the prevalence of mental illnesses and psychological problems, which are common among school students so that it would be easier to detect some mental health problems that would later lead to another school shooting. Thirdly, the role of mass media, which might increase the probability of a school shooting, should also be considered by policymakers and other stakeholders.

Beland, Louis-Philippe, and Dongwoo Kim. “The Effect of High School Shootings on Schools and Student Performance.” Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis , vol. 38, no. 1, 2016, pp. 113-126.

Fox, James Alan, and Emma E. Fridel. “The Tenuous Connections Involving Mass Shootings, Mental Illness, and Gun Laws.” Violence and Gender , vol. 3, no. 1, 2016, pp. 14-19.

Fox, James Alan, and Monica J. DeLateur. “Mass Shootings in America: Moving beyond Newtown.” Homicide Studies , vol. 18, no. 1, 2014, pp. 125-145.

Garcia-Bernardo, Javier, et al. “Social Media Affects the Timing, Location, and Severity of School Shootings.” Cornell University Library , Web.

Kalesan, Bindu, et al. “School Shootings during 2013–2015 in the USA.” Injury Prevention , vol. 23, no. 5, 2017, pp. 321-327.

Katsiyannis, Antonis, et al. “Historical Examination of United States Intentional Mass School Shootings in the 20th and 21st Centuries: Implications for Students, Schools, and Society.” Journal of Child and Family Studies , vol. 27, no. 8, 2018, pp. 2562-2573.

Metzl, Jonathan M., and Kenneth T. MacLeish. “Mental Illness, Mass Shootings, and the Politics of American Firearms.” American Journal of Public Health , vol. 105, no. 2, 2015, pp. 240-249.

Schildkraut, Jaclyn, and Tiffany Cox Hernandez. “Laws that Bit the Bullet: A Review of Legislative Responses to School Shootings.” American Journal of Criminal Justice , vol. 39, no. 2, 2014, pp. 358-374.

Towers, Sherry, et al. “Contagion in Mass Killings and School Shootings.” PLoS One , vol. 10, no. 7, 2015, pp. 1-12.

Vlahov, David. “Building the Evidence Base to Prevent Firearm Deaths and Injuries.” Journal of Urban Health , vol. 95, no. 3, 2018, pp. 293-294.

• Anti-Cosa Nostra Law Enforcement Strategies
• Criminal Justice System and Inequilty in America
• Guns Usage in the United States
• The Right to Possess Firearms
• The Mental Illness and Gun Violence Analysis
• Sentencing and Punishment in the US
• Garrity v. New Jersey and Fifth Amendment Rights
• Police Accountability and Public Information Access
• Restorative Justice in the Criminal Justice Process
• Three-Strikes Law Ineffective in Crime Reduction
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2021, January 12). School Shooting and Firearms in the United States. https://ivypanda.com/essays/school-shooting-and-firearms-in-the-united-states/

"School Shooting and Firearms in the United States." IvyPanda , 12 Jan. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/school-shooting-and-firearms-in-the-united-states/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'School Shooting and Firearms in the United States'. 12 January.

IvyPanda . 2021. "School Shooting and Firearms in the United States." January 12, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/school-shooting-and-firearms-in-the-united-states/.

1. IvyPanda . "School Shooting and Firearms in the United States." January 12, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/school-shooting-and-firearms-in-the-united-states/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "School Shooting and Firearms in the United States." January 12, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/school-shooting-and-firearms-in-the-united-states/.

School shootings: What we know about them, and what we can do to prevent them

Subscribe to the brown center on education policy newsletter, robin m. kowalski, ph.d. robin m. kowalski, ph.d. professor, department of psychology - clemson university.

January 26, 2022

On the morning of Nov. 30, 2021, a 15-year-old fatally shot four students and injured seven others at his high school in Oakland County, Michigan. It’s just one of the latest tragedies in a long line of the horrific K-12 school shootings now seared into our memories as Americans.

And we have seen that the threat of school shootings, in itself, is enough to severely disrupt schools. In December, a TikTok challenge known as “ National Shoot Up Your School Day ” gained prominence. Although vague and with no clear origin, the challenge warned of possible acts of violence at K-12 schools. In response, some schools nationwide cancelled classes, others stepped up security. Many students stayed home from school that day. (It’s worth noting that no incidents of mass violence ended up occurring.)

What are the problems that appear to underlie school shootings? How can we better respond to students that are in need? If a student does pose a threat and has the means to carry it out, how can members of the school community act to stop it? Getting a better grasp of school shootings, as challenging as it might be, is a clear priority for preventing harm and disruption for kids, staff, and families. This post considers what we know about K-12 school shootings and what we might do going forward to alleviate their harms.

Who is perpetrating school shootings?

As the National Association of School Psychologists says, “There is NO profile of a student who will cause harm.” Indeed, any attempt to develop profiles of school shooters is an ill-advised and potentially dangerous strategy. Profiling risks wrongly including many children who would never consider committing a violent act and wrongly excluding some children who might. However, while an overemphasis on personal warning signs is problematic, there can still be value in identifying certain commonalities behind school shootings. These highlight problems that can be addressed to minimize the occurrence of school shootings, and they can play a pivotal role in helping the school community know when to check in—either with an individual directly or with someone close to them (such as a parent or guidance counselor). Carefully integrating this approach into a broader prevention strategy helps school personnel understand the roots of violent school incidents and assess risks in a way that avoids the recklessness of profiling.

Within this framework of threat assessment, exploring similarities and differences of school shootings—if done responsibly—can be useful to prevention efforts. To that end, I recently published a study with colleagues that examined the extent to which features common to school shootings prior to 2003 were still relevant today. We compared the antecedents of K-12 shootings, college/university shootings, and other mass shootings.

We found that the majority of school shooters are male (95%) and white (61%) –yet many of these individuals feel marginalized. Indeed, almost half of those who perpetrate K-12 shootings report a history of rejection, with many experiencing bullying. One 16-year-old shooter wrote , “I feel rejected, rejected, not so much alone, but rejected. I feel this way because the day-to-day treatment I get usually it’s positive but the negative is like a cut, it doesn’t go away really fast.” Prior to the Parkland shooting, the perpetrator said , “I had enough of being—telling me that I’m an idiot and a dumbass.” A 14-year-old shooter stated in court, “I felt like I wasn’t wanted by anyone, especially  my mom. ” These individuals felt rejected and insignificant.

Our study also found that more than half of K-12 shooters have a history of psychological problems (e.g., depression, suicidal ideation, bipolar disorder, and psychotic episodes). The individuals behind the Sandy Hook and Columbine shootings, among others, had been diagnosed with an assortment of psychological conditions. (Of course, the vast majority of children with diagnosed psychological conditions don’t commit an act of mass violence. Indeed, psychologists and psychiatrists have warned that simply blaming mental illness for mass shootings unfairly stigmatizes those with diagnoses and ignores other, potentially more salient factors behind incidents of mass violence.) For some, the long-term rejection is compounded by a more acute rejection experience that immediately precedes the shooting. While K-12 school shooters were less likely than other mass shooters to experience an acute, traumatic event shortly before the shooting, these events are not uncommon.

Many shooters also display a fascination with guns and/or a preoccupation with violence. They play violent video games, watch violent movies, and read books that glorify violence and killing. Several of the shooters showed a particular fascination with Columbine, Hitler, and/or Satanism. They wrote journals or drew images depicting violence and gore. The continued exposure to violence may desensitize individuals to violence and provide ideas that are then copied in the school shootings.

To reiterate, however, there is no true profile of a school shooter. Plenty of people are bullied in middle and high school without entertaining thoughts of shooting classmates. Similarly, making and breaking relationships goes along with high school culture, yet most people who experience a break-up do not think of harming others. Anxiety and depression are common, especially in adolescence, and countless adolescents play violent video games without committing acts of violence in real life. Even if some commonalities are evident, we must recognize their limits.

What can we do?

Understanding the experiences of school shooters can reveal important insights for discerning how to prevent school shootings. So, what might we do about it?

First, the problems that appear to underlie some school shootings, such as bullying and mental-health challenges, need attention—and there’s a lot we can do. School administrators and educators need to implement bullying prevention programs, and they need to pay attention to the mental-health needs of their students. One way to do this is to facilitate “ psychological mattering ” in schools. Students who feel like they matter—that they are important or significant to others—are less likely to feel isolated, ostracized, and alone. They feel confident that there are people to whom they can turn for support. To the extent that mattering is encouraged in schools, bullying should decrease. Typically, we don’t bully people who are important or significant to us.

Second, because most of the perpetrators of K-12 shootings are under the age of 18, they cannot legally acquire guns. In our study , handguns were used in over 91% of the K-12 shootings, and almost half of the shooters stole the gun from a family member. Without guns, there cannot be school shootings. Clearly more needs to be done to keep guns out of the hands of youth in America.

Third, students, staff, and parents must pay attention to explicit signals of an imminent threat. Many shooters leak information about their plans well before the shooting. They may create a video, write in a journal, warn certain classmates not to attend school on a particular day, brag about their plans, or try to enlist others’ help in their plot. Social media has provided a venue for children to disclose their intentions. Yet, students, parents, and educators often ignore or downplay the warning signs of an imminent threat. Students often think their peers are simply expressing threats as a way of garnering attention. Even if the threats are taken seriously, an unwritten code of silence keeps many students from reporting what they see or hear. They don’t want to be a snitch or risk being the target of the would-be shooter’s rage. With this in mind, educators and administrators need to encourage reporting among students—even anonymously—and need to take those reports extremely seriously. Helpful information for teachers, administrators, and parents can be found at SchoolSafety.gov . In addition, Sandy Hook Promise provides information about school violence and useful videos for young people about attending to the warning signs that often accompany school shootings.

Fourth, school leaders should be aware that not every apparent act of prevention is worth the costs. Some people believe that lockdown drills, metal detectors, school resource officers, and the like are useful deterrents to school shootings and school violence more broadly. However, researchers have also demonstrated that they can increase anxiety and fear among students . Students may also become habituated to the drills, failing to recognize the seriousness of an actual threat should it arise. Additionally, most K-12 shooters are students within the school itself. These students are well-versed in the security measures taken by the school to try to deter acts of violence by individuals such as themselves. While few would suggest getting rid of lockdown drills and other security measures, educators and administrators need to be mindful of the rewards versus the costs in their selection of safety measures.

Ultimately, our goal should be creating an environment in which school shootings never occur. This is an ambitious aim, and it will be challenging work. But addressing some key issues, such as mental health, will go a long way toward preventing future tragedies in our schools. As so aptly demonstrated in the Ted Talk, “ I was almost a school shooter ,” by Aaron Stark, making someone feel that they have value and that they matter can go a long way toward altering that individual’s life and, consequently, the lives of others.

Related Content

Kenneth Alonzo Anderson

November 8, 2018

Andre M. Perry

December 4, 2018

K-12 Education

Governance Studies

U.S. States and Territories

Brown Center on Education Policy

Julien Lafortune, Barbara Biasi, David Schönholzer

September 6, 2024

Jenny Anderson, Rebecca Winthrop

January 7, 2025

Jonathan Rauch

Home — Essay Samples — Law, Crime & Punishment — Murder — School Shootings

School Shootings

• Categories: Murder

About this sample

Words: 731 |

Published: Apr 11, 2019

Words: 731 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below:

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Verified writer

• Expert in: Law, Crime & Punishment

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 788 words

6 pages / 2688 words

4 pages / 1799 words

4 pages / 1783 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Murder

The murder case of Hae Min Lee is a very intriguing incident, as it is a tale full of many holes and facts that don’t match up. For both the observers and the investigators, this is a difficult case to consider, as there is [...]

Adnan Syed's case has gained widespread attention due to the popular podcast "Serial" which investigated the murder of Hae Min Lee in 1999. The case has sparked debates about the justice system, racial bias, and the reliability [...]

The Riverside Murder Case Study is a gripping tale of mystery, intrigue, and the complexities of justice. Imagine a picturesque town, its serene riverside setting shattered by a brutal crime that has left residents on edge and [...]

William Shakespeare’s tragic play revolves around the titular character’s ascent to power and subsequent descent into madness. The cornerstone of Macbeth’s rise is his decision to murder King Duncan, a pivotal moment that [...]

That is a true story that came about in Japan in 1988. A 17-year vintage female named Furuta Junko was kidnapped after which tortured with the aid of four boys with a very inconceivable manner and in the end demise after [...]

Lynchings were going on in the 19th century when there were very high racial tensions. They were mostly done in the Southern states. There are many different kinds of lynchings such as hanging, burning alive, beheading, [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

What do you think? Leave a respectful comment.

Elizabeth Englander, Bridgewater State University Elizabeth Englander, Bridgewater State University

• Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/analysis-10-ways-we-can-prevent-school-shootings-right-now

Analysis: 10 ways we can prevent school shootings right now

After a shooter killed 17 people at a Florida high school, many have expressed frustration at the political hand-wringing over gun control and calls for prayer .

As a parent, I understand the desire for practical responses to school shootings. I also absolutely believe the government should do more to prevent such incidents. But the gun control debate has proven so divisive and ineffective that I am weary of waiting for politicians to act.

I study the kind of aggressive childhood behavior that often predates school shootings. That research suggests what communities and families can start doing today to better protect children. Here are 10 actions we can all take while the federal government drags its heels.

What schools can do

Because educators observe students’ emotional and behavioral development daily, they are best positioned to detect troubled behaviors and intervene. In Los Angeles, for example, schools have successfully used outreach and training to identify potentially violent students before problems occur.

1. Teach social and emotional skills

Children learn social skills from everyday interactions with each other. Playtime teaches young people how to control their emotions, recognize others’ feelings and to negotiate. Neighborhood “kick the can” games, for example, require cooperation to have fun – all without adult supervision.

Today, frequent social media use and a decrease in free play time has reduced children’s opportunities to learn these basic social skills .

But social and emotional skills can – and should – be taught in school as a way to prevent student violence. Students with more fluent social skills connect better with others and may be more able to recognize troubled peers who need help.

2. Hire more counselors and school resource officers

Due to budget cuts, many schools have few or no trained school psychologists, social workers or adjustment counselors on staff . These mental health professionals are society’s first line of defense against troubled students – especially with the current increase in adolescent depression and anxiety .

In my opinion, school resource officers – trained police officers who work with children – are also helpful for students. While untrained officers may pose a threat to students , well-trained school resource officers can connect with kids who have few other relationships, acting as a support system. They are also on hand to respond quickly if crime or violence erupts.

Putting trained school resource officers and counselors in every school will cost money, but I believe it will save lives.

3. Use technology to identify troubled students

Technology may challenge kids’ social development, but it can also be harnessed for good. Anonymous reporting systems – perhaps text-message based – can make it easier for parents and students to alert law enforcement and school counselors to kids who seem disconnected or disturbed. That enables early intervention.

In Steamboat Springs, Colorado, one such tip appeared to prevent extreme violence in May 2017. Police took a young man who’d threatened to harm his peers into protective custody before he could act on his words.

What communities can do

Communities also help raise children. With many eyes and ears, they can detect often smaller problems before young people grow into violence.

4. Doctors should conduct standard mental health screenings

Extreme violence is almost always preceded by certain behavioral problems. These typically include a propensity toward aggression , a marked lack of social connectedness , indications of serious mental illness and a fascination with violence and guns .

Doctors could detect these problems early on with a standardized screening at health checkups. If concerns arise, referrals to counseling or other mental health professionals might follow.

5. Enlist social media companies in the effort to detect threats

Most young people today use social media to express their feelings and aspirations. In the case of school shooters, these posts are often violent . A single violent post is hardly a guarantee of homicidal acts, of course. But evidence strongly indicates that repeated expressions of this nature can be a sign of trouble .

I would like to see companies like Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat create algorithms that identify repeated online threats and automatically alert local law enforcement.

What parents can do

Parents and guardians are often the first to detect their child’s emotional struggles. Here are some tips for monitoring and promoting healthy emotional development at home.

6. Think critically about your child’s social media use

From virtual war games to cruel trolls, the internet is full of violence. The relationship between violent content and aggression hasn’t been consistent in research: Some studies see no relationship at all , while others find some correlation between violent video games and violent behavior.

This mixed evidence suggests that online content affects children differently , so parents must assess how well their child handles it. If your daughter likes “Assassin’s Creed” but is gentle, socially successful and happy, the onscreen violence may not be strongly impacting her.

But if your child is drawn to violent games and tends to be aggressive or troubled, discuss the situation with your pediatrician or school counselor.

7. Consider what your child is missing out on

Is your child sleeping properly? Do your kids socialize with other young people? These two behaviors are linked to mental health in children , and excessive screen time can reduce or diminish the quality of both .

Make sure digital devices aren’t disrupting your kids’ sleep , and schedule play dates if your kids don’t make plans on their own.

8. Assess your child’s relationships

Like adults, children need confidants to feel invested in and connected with their community. The trusted person can be parent, a family member or a friend – just make sure someone’s playing that role.

For children who struggle to make friends and build relationships, there are programs that can help them learn how.

9. Fret productively about screen time

Research shows that excessive screen time can damage kids’ brains . That’s alarming in part because parents can’t realistically keep kids entirely off devices.

So rather than just fret over screen time, focus instead on how children can benefit from a variety of activities . Evidence shows that children who experience different pursuits over the course of their day – from sports and music to an after-school job – are happier and healthier for it.

10. Talk with your child

This is both the easiest and hardest way to make sure your kids are doing OK. Children, especially teenagers, don’t always want to talk about how life is going. Ask anyway.

My research shows that simply asking children about their friends, their technology use and their day is an important way to show you care. Even if they don’t respond, your interest demonstrates that you’re there for them.

Try this one now. Ask your children what they’re thinking about the shooting in Florida and how they like their friends and school. Then listen.

Elizabeth Englander , Professor of Psychology, and the Director of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center (MARC), Bridgewater State University

This article was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article .

Professor of Psychology, and the Director of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center (MARC), Bridgewater State University

Support Provided By: Learn more

Educate your inbox

Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else.

Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm.

June 17, 2022

Why do school shootings keep happening in the United States?

Vcu homeland security expert william v. pelfrey jr. answers this question and more., share this story.

• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook
• Share on LinkedIn

By Joan Tupponce

The first thought that raced through William Pelfrey Jr.’s mind when he heard the breaking news about the school shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, was typical of any parent with young kids.

“It made me want to get into my vehicle and drive to their schools,” said Pelfrey, Ph.D., an expert in the field of homeland security, terrorism and radicalization and a professor of homeland security/emergency preparedness and criminal justice in the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. “From a professional perspective, it reminded me there are too many people with guns, the wrong people with guns and that nothing is going to change.”

Guns are now the leading cause of death among children and adolescents in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No other developed economy has as many violent firearm deaths as the U.S., according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.

“School shootings happen in the U.S. at an alarming rate, but they rarely happen elsewhere in the world. Eighty or 90 percent of all the school shootings in the world happen in the U.S. They are concentrated here,” Pelfrey said.

How did the U.S. get to this point and what can be done? Pelfrey fields those questions and more with VCU News.

Why does this keep happening?

It’s a simple question, but the answers are extremely complicated. There are some political overtones to it. Guns are ubiquitous in the U.S. There are more guns than people. The U.S. population is about 334 million and the number of guns in the U.S. is more than 390 million (according to a report by the Small Arms Survey, a Geneva-based organization). We have the highest civilian gun ownership in the world by a huge margin. That’s an extraordinary number relative to the rest of the world. The next countries that have as many guns are war-torn countries like Serbia or Yemen.

Another element is school safety is not as high as it should be. It’s easy to maintain basic school safety but not everybody does a good job of that.

A third element is social media, a component that revolves around how people make it OK on social media to act on violence. There is a faction of government, particularly a right-wing government element, that condones or encourages violence. They do so in an oblique way saying something like, “Our country is under threat. We have to stand up and protect our country. We need to take up arms to defend our country, our way of life.” When you do that, you are condoning acts that are dangerous. The U.S. border is populated by a lot of citizens who have dubbed themselves border protection and they stand at the border with guns waiting for someone to illegally cross the border and they take them into custody even though they are not law enforcement.

How do you categorize mass shootings?

Some are artifacts of bullying. A victim of bullying decides they are going to respond with extreme violence, and it’s usually not against their perpetrators. It’s a show of force to demonstrate they won’t be bullied again. They can stand up for themselves. That describes Sandy Hook and Columbine and some other shootings.

The second category of mass shootings is domestic terrorism. Those people had been self-radicalized on social media and believe their actions represent a higher good. What they are doing is for a bigger purpose than themselves. They are willing to die, almost like a suicide terrorist, to further the goals of the theology they support.

A lot of people don’t fit into either category. The mass shooting era began with Charles Whitman in 1966 when he climbed a bell tower at the University of Texas and started shooting people. He did that because he had a tumor in his brain. There was no kind of pattern, but it created a behavioral matrix that has been followed by any number of people in the U.S.

How easy is it to buy a gun?

In the U.S., you can walk into a gun store and buy as many assault rifles as you want if you have cash and are over 18 and you meet just a couple of other loose criteria. Guns are so easily obtained that it’s easy to commit violent crime. We don’t do a good job in our criminal justice system of prohibiting people that probably shouldn’t have them from securing guns.

In most countries there are tests you have to take. You have to demonstrate you need a gun for a specific reason. You have to pass a gun ownership exam to show you can use it safely. You have to maintain license requirements. We don’t do any of that in the U.S. We are going the other way. Texas last year made it easier for people to get a gun in what was already an incredibly permissive state.

What types of guns are especially dangerous to own?

Assault weapons — assault rifles and assault pistols. We don’t track who buys them. You go into a gun store and buy a gun. A criminal background check is run, but no one keeps track of what you bought or how much you paid for it or what you do with it when you walk out the door. You could buy 20 assault rifles, drive to Washington, D.C., and sell them and nobody knows it because there is no reporting mechanism to identify that you sold the guns.

It is a crime to sell a gun to a convicted felon or to take them out of state to sell. But our penalties are so lax that it’s not a deterrent. A straw buyer is a person who buys guns legally and then illegally sells them for profit. There are a small number of gun stores that welcome straw buyers and subsequently represent easy funnels for guns in illegal locations. Straw buyers go to stores where they know they can walk in with $30,000 or $40,000 in cash and walk out with a bunch of pistols and assault rifles and go back to the streets and sell those guns, especially in cities with restrictive gun laws. That’s one of the cheap mechanisms for guns getting into the hands of criminals.

Why is screening a person who wants to buy a gun so important?

There are people who should have red flags that would preclude gun ownership, but we don’t have that in place. We could look over the past 20 or so years at some of the major school shootings like Parkwood (Florida); Newtown (Connecticut); Columbine (Colorado); Uvalde (Texas); even the shooting in Buffalo (New York). These were people that had a history of mental illness or a history of being bullied and were threatening to lash out. People don’t seem to connect the risk factors to gun ownership and the propensity for subsequent violence. And that is just a tragedy.

What is the role of social media in all of this?

It has a powerful role because of far-right extremism. The Buffalo shooter was a self-radicalized domestic terrorist. He had a strongly held belief about the infringement of races on the Caucasian race. He was an avid follower of far-right extremists’ diatribe and used some of what he found as rationalization to act and commit violence.

Not true for every shooter. In Columbine, Newtown, Uvaldi, these were bullied misfits. They didn’t fit in groups and had a history of being marginalized by their peers. They found a different path for getting even and that was through violence. But there is a different population and I believe it’s one of the most dangerous threats to the U.S. and that is far-right extremists, which inspired far-right violent extremists. Social media has a tremendous role in that. There is no single bad guy we can legitimize or take out. There are hundreds of podcasts and thousands of self-proclaimed thought leaders and they write really nasty, vicious stuff and have followers. Some of those people act on what they read. No government entity does a good job counter-messaging extremists.

How does bullying play into this?

Schools don’t do a great job with bullying prevention. One of my areas of research is bullying and cyberbullying. I’ve worked with schools, and we talk about bullying identification. Schools don’t do that until it’s too late. Schools need to adopt bullying and cyberbullying identification measures and then practice them. The best tactic I’ve seen is analogous to the “see something, say something” messaging that was rampant in New York after 9/11. That same logic can be applied in schools to enable citizens to get involved in terrorism prevention. Students can be empowered to identify bullies and then the school can come in to support fellow students.

Some people talk about arming teachers or school administrators. What do you think of that as a way of prevention?

Several years ago, Virginia considered doing that. I did a report for the Department of Criminal Justice Services in Virginia on the merits and risks of arming school personnel. Most high schools have an armed resource officer on scene, but most middle and elementary schools don’t. Arming teachers or school personnel is an incredibly dangerous enterprise that could lead to the death of that person because if police respond to a shooting and see someone with a gun, they are going to shoot them. Or, the teacher could accidentally shoot another staff member or police officer or, in the worst case, a student.

At Uvalde, there was a police resource officer on scene, at Columbine a school resource officer was on scene, at Parkland a school resource officer was on scene. If a trained police officer can’t prevent a school shooting, what are the chances that a teacher who is not well trained can prevent a school shooting? I think the odds are pretty low. I think the risk dramatically outweighs any potential benefits.

Can you talk about the opposite views we have in the U.S. about guns?

We live in a country with two competing paradigms. One thought paradigm is that everybody needs guns and then we will all be safe. The other is the exact opposite. Nobody should have guns and we will all be safe. Those two paradigms cannot coexist. They are diametrically opposed. But our political structure is such that they can’t be reconciled.

After the Sandy Hook shooting there was a huge motivation for gun control, limiting who could buy guns and the kind of guns people could buy. That faded away rapidly. I expect the same thing will happen here, and it’s depressing to say that, but I see very little political will to enact any meaningful changes.

Mass shootings are going to happen again. It’s a pattern. School shootings and mass shootings happen about every year or two in the U.S. and I guarantee that there is going to be another one in a year and another one after that and nothing is going to change until enough people develop a political will to support meaningful gun changes.

What predictions do you have for the future when it comes to gun laws?

I expect there will be some change in gun laws, but they won’t be substantial. It will provide political cover for some people to say we are doing things, we are making things safer, but they won’t make things safer. I expect gun sales will go up even more because people now feel like they have to protect themselves and their family members because the government isn’t doing that.

I also expect that there is going to be some investigation into police practices at Uvalde because police didn’t go into that school immediately. In fact, several police officers stood outside waiting for reinforcements to arrive. That is going to lead to internal investigation and also police policy changes, which I expect will become popular across the U.S. Many police departments implemented a policy suggesting officers need to go into a school and engage an active shooter no matter what. That didn’t happen in Uvalde. As a policing expert, I don’t know how that is possible.

Do people use mental health as a scapegoat for these shootings?

Yes, it’s an easy target. A lot of people point to mental health and say the U.S. needs more mental health funding. They disregard there was a gun that shot these people. Only a small percentage of these shootings were people that had been diagnosed with a mental illness. We want to rationalize this type of behavior. We want to understand it. We presume that the people who commit these vile acts are disturbed, that they are mentally ill, otherwise they are like us and that’s untenable.

It creates an easy political target that allows politicians to rationalize their failure to enact reasonable gun laws. We have laws about who can buy guns — you have to be 18, you can’t be a convicted felon. There are guns that are restrictive. It’s not legal to sell fully automatic weapons. You can’t buy a tank. But whenever reasonable gun restrictions are opposed or discussed, there is a small faction of citizens and politicians that go crazy, and that’s a tragedy.

Over the past 50 years there has only been one meaningful law passed limiting guns — the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban, passed under President Bill Clinton. That expired 10 years later under a Republican president. When that expired, people began buying guns at a substantially higher rate than ever before. They presumed that under another Democratic president or Congress gun sales would be limited again. So assault rifles, which had been a small portion of gun purchases prior to the ban, became a big part of gun sales.

Estimates are that a quarter to a third of all guns sold now in the U.S. are assault rifle platforms. That is a big number. Seven years after the ban expired, guns sales had doubled. A few years later they doubled again. It’s amazing that the ban had a counter-productive effect, which is it dramatically increased gun sales and people’s motivations to buy guns, particularly assault rifles.

As a policing expert, there is no reason anyone who is not military or law enforcement should ever have an assault rifle. I come from a family of hunters. Every year we would go hunting. I know rifles and shotguns. An assault rifle is a vastly inferior tool for anything other than shooting people. It’s not good for hunting or self-defense. A shotgun or a pistol is more effective. There is no reason for a civilian to have an assault rifle, but they do.

Each issue of the VCU News newsletter includes a roundup of top headlines from the university’s central news source and a listing of highlighted upcoming events. The newsletter is distributed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. To subscribe, visit  newsletter.vcu.edu/ . All VCU and VCU Health email account holders are automatically subscribed to the newsletter.

Subscribe to VCU News

Subscribe to VCU News at newsletter.vcu.edu and receive a selection of stories, videos, photos, news clips and event listings in your inbox.

Most popular

Aug. 27, 2024

Jessica Bell Brown named executive director of the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU

Aug. 29, 2024

For Rams finding their way, VCU introduces new interactive campus map

Aug. 30, 2024

42nd annual Faculty Convocation celebrates six VCU role models

42nd annual Faculty Convocation will honor six VCU educators and researchers

Latest headlines

Sept. 7, 2024

Expectations about class schedules

Sept. 6, 2024

VCU Board of Visitors to meet in person Sept. 12-13

Youth shared-housing program that serves Richmond could be a model far beyond it

What’s new at VCU for 2024-25

Prevention of School Shootings

How it works

Out of the 235 mass shootings that occured in 2018, 23 of them took place at schools. School shootings are becoming more common today than they were before. Many people believe that something must be done to prevent these shootings. People want to know how many times do school shootings need to happen before something is finally done. The U.S has had back to back school shootings in 2018. It doesn’t seem like this phenomenon is slowing down any, so here’s some ways to prevent school shootings.

Initially, schools must first eliminate bullying for the most part. Bullying is what causes most attackers to attack. Most attackers have been treated badly by others, left to be alone, mocked, or just simply frowned upon for being themselves. Some attackers may also have difficulty coping with something more personal.

Being bullied and not being able to handle it can cause the attacker to break. Students should receive some form of punishment for bullying, like suspension or maybe even a referral home. Children never know what someone is going through so they should be taught kindness, empathy, and love not to bully. Schools should do more to cancel out bullying across the U.S. To follow up, doctors should regularly conduct mental health exams. Most of the attackers usually suffer from some sort of mental illness. Nikolas Cruz, shooter at Marjory Stoneman had always showed a very dark side every since he was a young boy according to a former neighbor (Flores,2018 paragraph 1-4). While mental illness should not be used as an excuse for such violent acts, in the U.S mental health isn’t usually the focus when visiting a doctor. Doctors are more worried about if a child has a sore throat rather than if a child is in their right mind. Elizabeth Englander explains that doctors should detect a child’s problems early on and refer him or her to a mental health professional if needed.

By doing this mental health professionals can sort out kids that schools may have to watch over carefully and closely. In the meantime, students should not be afraid to speak up about any suspicious activity that they have heard about or seen.Students may not come forward because they don’t want to be portrayed as a “snitch” by their peers,when really they are just being helpful. Students should always come forward if they have any concerns about a student or the safety of their school, even if they think the threat is not serious. The school staff can not take action if they are unaware of what kind of things are happening. Scott Poland says that “a missing component to school safety is getting the students involved”. Kids know where most of the bullying is going on so they need to get involved when teachers are determining where they need to increase their supervision. It is important for students to speak up because they tend to have more knowledge about what is going on in their school because they are more closer to the ground than the anonymous calls that are made to the local police station. At the same time, schools should use social media as a tool for identifying troubled students. On social media , kids will sometimes post threats the need to be taken seriously. Elizabeth Englander notes that in Steamboat Springs, Colorado police took a boy into custody that threatened to harm his peers via social media.

This could’ve been an act of extreme violence, but instead it was prevented before the boy could act on his words. If students see anything suspicious online , they should report it to the authorities immediately. The Parkland shooting suspect made several instagram posts about becoming a “professional school shooter” prior to the shooting. Most perpetrators will post online before they attack , simply because they do not care or because they just want attention. University of Virginia professor Dewey Cornell says that , “prevention must start way before there is a gunman in the parking lot”(2018). Parents and school staff are getting tired of waiting on politicians to act on this problem. While waiting on politicians , they want to get involved. Prevention shouldn’t harden schools, it should make them softer by focusing on the students mental health, student involvement , and student relationships with other students. In 2018, preparing for school shootings is now just another part of a teacher’s day.

Cite this page

Prevention of School Shootings. (2020, Jan 23). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/prevention-of-school-shootings/

"Prevention of School Shootings." PapersOwl.com , 23 Jan 2020, https://papersowl.com/examples/prevention-of-school-shootings/

PapersOwl.com. (2020). Prevention of School Shootings . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/prevention-of-school-shootings/ [Accessed: 8 Sep. 2024]

"Prevention of School Shootings." PapersOwl.com, Jan 23, 2020. Accessed September 8, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/prevention-of-school-shootings/

"Prevention of School Shootings," PapersOwl.com , 23-Jan-2020. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/prevention-of-school-shootings/. [Accessed: 8-Sep-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2020). Prevention of School Shootings . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/prevention-of-school-shootings/ [Accessed: 8-Sep-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

School Shooting: Causes and Solution Essay Example

• Pages: 3 (593 words)
• Published: April 25, 2017
• Type: Report

School violence is said to be a continuously occurring problem that happens in different degrees all throughout the world. However, school shootings as a form of violence were consistently reported because such extreme incidents do not only affect the families of the victims but also put into question the credibility of the school and the society to prevent this form of violence. Furthermore, these incidents raised the questions of why these form of violence is perpetrated by students, and what motivates them to carry out this activity (Freydis, 2008).

Based from the reports that were presented from the past records of school shootings, the most common motivation of the students who perpetrated the crime was revenge. Evidences pointed out that majority of the school shootings were done by the students who viewed the society as something that denied them the

chance of personal recognition. Another reason that was stressed is the fact that most of the perpetrators were from struggling families that are not too sympathetic or have even inflicted abuse among the criminals.

Once these students go to school, they suffer alienation and are often bullied by their classmates because of their limitations. Moreover, various dictates from teachers add up to the feeling that they cannot escape abuse which eventually augments the person’s feeling of low self-worth. Because of these series of events, they often realize that the authority that they are looking up to did not do anything to prevent the exploitation that they are experiencing.

For these reasons, they feel trapped and they see school shooting as a way to resolve the endless abuse that was inflicted towards them (Freydis, 2008). Although several rules were

implemented in order to prevent these incidents, the said efforts delivered minimal results. It is important to note that school shooting could occur anytime, and one of the most important things to do in order to prevent such occurrence is to recognize the risk factors that may lead to student violence.

Schools should implement programs that teachers and students alike would be educated about the risk factors leading to violence. As such, there should be programs that should teach students and teachers about self-defense that would later on help them to have the proper mind frame in case a violent attack will occur. Another preventive solution that could be done is to strengthen the school securities wherein school authorities should be given enough time to inspect each student whenever he or she enters the school premises.

It was reported that most of the school shootings took place because of the lack of preparedness of the security to inspect incoming students or the lack of security personnel as well as the absence of life-saving utilities inside the school (Freydis, 2008). Apparently, school shooting is a major concern not only inside the school grounds but also within the whole society. There are various reasons why these incidents occur, but these should be attributed most especially to the inability of the people to be sensitive towards the feelings of others.

Moreover, there are myriads of ways in order to prevent the occurrence of such activities. However, the lack of education of people to point out the risks factors often results in the outbreaks that often lead to death. Although there is a steady decline in the number of school shootings, preventive

measures that were stated above should be taken into consideration in order to avoid another unwanted incident. Likewise, there should be an earlier identification of the problem in order to secure the lives of people within the school premises.

• Unsafe School Choice Option Essay Example
• Do you think that Dic Penderyn was unjustly hanged? Essay Example
• Combating Terrorismterrorism Essay Example
• College Essay on Bullying 615 words
• The Radicalisation Process Essay Example
• Great risk Essay Example
• The legalization of heroin Essay Example
• The Dolzura Cortez life story Essay Example
• Victoria Climbie Inquiry Report Essay Example
• Consequences of Selling Drugs Essay Example
• Potential Tension Between Maintaining an Individuals Confidentiality Essay Example
• Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 Essay Example
• Charlotte Dymond Newspaper Article Narrative Essay Example
• Desensitization to Violence Essay Example
• Drug Abuse Essay Example
• Abuse Support essays
• Child Abuse essays
• Alcohol Abuse essays
• Physical Abuse essays
• Sexual Abuse essays
• Substance Abuse essays
• Animal Cruelty essays
• Law Enforcement essays
• Juvenile Justice System essays
• Surveillance essays
• Forensic Science essays
• Crime Prevention essays
• Criminal Justice essays
• Criminology essays
• Drug Trafficking essays
• Juvenile Delinquency essays
• Organized Crime essays
• Penology essays
• Prison essays
• Property Crime essays
• Punishment essays
• Serial Killer essays
• Sexual Offence essays
• Victim essays
• Crime scene essays
• Punishments essays
• Charles Manson essays
• Juvenile Crime essays
• Piracy essays
• Stealing essays
• Gang essays
• Hate Crime essays
• Homicide essays
• Damages essays
• Murder essays
• Robbery essays
• Ted Bundy essays
• Prostitution essays
• Violent crime essays
• Rape essays
• Identity Theft essays
• Sexual Harassment essays
• Distracted Driving essays
• Drunk Driving essays
• Detention essays
• Sexual Assault essays
• Sexual Assault on College Campuses essays
• Cyber Crime essays
• White Collar Crime essays

Haven't found what you were looking for?

Search for samples, answers to your questions and flashcards.

• Enter your topic/question
• Receive an explanation
• Ask one question at a time
• Enter a specific assignment topic
• Aim at least 500 characters
• a topic sentence that states the main or controlling idea
• supporting sentences to explain and develop the point you’re making
• evidence from your reading or an example from the subject area that supports your point
• analysis of the implication/significance/impact of the evidence finished off with a critical conclusion you have drawn from the evidence.

Unfortunately copying the content is not possible

Tell us your email address and we’ll send this sample there..

By continuing, you agree to our Terms and Conditions .

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

College Essays Should Be Personal. For School-Shooting Survivors, the Question Is How Personal.

A generation of American students has become tragically familiar with mass shootings. Many of them describe the life-changing experiences in their college applications.

By Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs and Patricia Mazzei

To make their college admissions essays stand out, high school students have always written about their biggest personal hardships. For those who have survived mass shootings, ducking under desks and witnessing unspeakable horror, the big question is whether to recount the bloodshed to get into college.

With school shootings now a part of the fabric of America, college admissions officers regularly find the tragedies they watched unfold on television being grappled with in the pages of the applications before them.

Students recall their terror. They describe their transformation from quiet pupil to outspoken activist. For those who are willing to relive those awful days — and not all survivors are — the tragedies are life-changing.

We Want to Hear From Students Affected by Mass Shootings

“I kind of struggled with that a little bit, because I never really knew what colleges would look for,” said Taylor Ferrante-Markham, who graduated this spring from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. But then she learned admissions officers liked to see evidence of personal growth.

“Of course, it was the first thing that popped into my head,” she said of the February 2018 massacre at her school, which left 17 people dead and another 17 wounded. She applied only to St. John’s University in New York — her dream college, she said — and edited her essay until she felt it was good enough to win her acceptance.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

Essay Service Examples Crime School Shooting

Essay on School Shooting

Table of contents

Introduction, theoretical perspective, social dynamics, political dynamics, corrective measures.

• Proper editing and formatting
• Free revision, title page, and bibliography
• Flexible prices and money-back guarantee

Our writers will provide you with an essay sample written from scratch: any topic, any deadline, any instructions.

Cite this paper

Related essay topics.

Get your paper done in as fast as 3 hours, 24/7.

Related articles

Most popular essays

• Barack Obama
• School Shooting

Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, delivered numerous powerful speeches during...

• Gun Violence
• Public School

In 2022 so far, there have been 27 school shootings and over 200 general mass shootings in...

School shooting is an attack at an educational institution, such as a school or university,...

• High School

On the afternoon of February 14th, 2018, Nikolas Cruz took an Uber to his old high school. After...

The Santa Clarita school shooting is one of the many school shootings that has devastatingly...

By strengthening gun laws and improving school security, mass school shootings would become...

• Perspective

Violence in schools has been something we all experienced either firsthand or second-hand. Even...

In our society today, alongside with our advanced technology and social aspects, individuals...

• Gun Control

Who’s to blame the weapon or the person? Gun control do we really know enough about it. Throughout...

Join our 150k of happy users

• Get original paper written according to your instructions
• Save time for what matters most

Fair Use Policy

EduBirdie considers academic integrity to be the essential part of the learning process and does not support any violation of the academic standards. Should you have any questions regarding our Fair Use Policy or become aware of any violations, please do not hesitate to contact us via [email protected].

We are here 24/7 to write your paper in as fast as 3 hours.

Provide your email, and we'll send you this sample!

By providing your email, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy .

Say goodbye to copy-pasting!

Get custom-crafted papers for you.

Enter your email, and we'll promptly send you the full essay. No need to copy piece by piece. It's in your inbox!