Keeping Kids Safe

Inside the minds of school shooters, with general insight into adolescent mental health.

by Peter Langman, Ph.D.

Seems like a much better

Submitted by f on May 27, 2009 - 2:44pm.

Seems like a much better explanation than video games/rock music.

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oh, that's pretty scary!!!

Submitted by farouk on May 28, 2009 - 4:06am.

oh, that's pretty scary!!! this means that successful people should watch out for themselves

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This is a start...

Submitted by John Walt on May 28, 2009 - 6:36am.

Dr. Langman,

Thanks for this enlightening bit of information. It seems to make some sense. My question is: How do you think we can prevent this envy from happening? Is it a matter of better life skills? Proper diagnosis of mental illness? Bullet-proof vests for all?

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Murderous Envy

Submitted by Peter Langman, Ph.D. on May 29, 2009 - 5:06am.

John,

Thank you for your comment. First, I want to emphasize that the people in question were not ordinary kids who envied their peers. They were people with significant psychological disturbances. Better education of parents regarding symptoms of psychiatric disorders certainly would help. The sooner such people are identified, the sooner they can get help. None of the psychotic shooters I write about in my book (Why Kids Kill: Inside the Minds of School Shooters) had been diagnosed as psychotic. Thus, they were not receiving the treatment they needed. Regarding other issues in early identification of potential school shooters, and how to prevent rampage attacks, the last chapter of my book covers this in some detail, and also cites other valuable works.

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Kip Kinkel

Submitted by Columbine101 on June 13, 2010 - 11:51am.

True to our society's dopey infatuation with violent males, Kip Kinkel's father mistakenly assumed that forcing his small son to join the football team would boost his confidence.

He was wrong and it cost he and his wife their lives.

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Dr. Peter Langman is the author of Why Kids Kill: Inside the Minds of School Shooters and trains professionals in law enforcement, education, and mental health on preventing school shootings.

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