Pathways of Crime and Their Influence on School Shootings

Presenter

Kylie Jones

Campus

Westfield State University

Sponsor

Joseph Camilleri, Department of Psychology, Westfield State University

Schedule

Session 5, 3:30 PM - 4:15 PM [Schedule by Time][Poster Grid for Time/Location]

Location

Poster Board A25, Campus Center Auditorium, Row 2 (A21-A40) [Poster Location Map]

Abstract

In the United States, firearms are the primary cause of death among young individuals, resulting in a surge in school shootings. School shootings have garnered substantial attention in recent years due to its profound repercussions on individuals, families, and communities nationwide. The purpose of this study is to examine various pathways that might lead to the occurrence of these crimes, such as competitive disadvantage (i.e., social or neurodevelopmental adversity in early development), psychopathy, psychopathology, and young male syndrome (i.e., younger males showing a tendency to take greater risks, including crime). This study constitutes an archival examination of the K-12 School Shooting database, exclusively on incidents involving perpetrators aged between 13 to 24, occurring within the school building during class hours. Each incident underwent assessment of the degree to which competitive disadvantage, psychopathy, and psychopathology was present, while young male syndrome was evaluated based on the age and gender of the offender. The primary objective of this study was to test whether any of these pathways best characterizes perpetration of school shootings. Statistical analyses were conducted to determine the extent to which observed patterns align with the proposed pathways. Insights taken from this research have the potential to inform the development of more effective risk assessments and preventative strategies aimed at mitigating the occurrence of school shootings and their devastating aftermath.

Keywords

Threat Assessment, Prevention, Psychopathy, Psychopathology

Research Area

Psychology and Behavioral Sciences

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