Other Free Encyclopedias :: Law Library - American Law and Legal Information :: Crime and Punishment in America Vol 2 :: School Violence - The History Of School Discipline, School Shootings, Bullying, Shootings Become More Frequent, The Spring Of 1998

School Violence - Causes Of School Violence

The causes of school violence are complex and varied. Forensic psychologists who study criminal behavior believe school killers are very different from other violent youth, such as gang members or drug dealers. For whatever reason, they feel powerless and begin obsessing over killing or injuring others. They may make direct threats concerning those they feel are taunting or intimidating them. They often express these thoughts and plans to fellow students. In general, other students tend to ignore the comments or simply look the other way.

Students from Columbine High School mourn the loss of their friends and classmates after a tragic shooting at their school in 1999. (AP/Wide World Photos)


The decision to kill for these youth is not a sudden occurrence, but coldly planned. Use of guns gives them the power they felt deprived of, and makes those offending them powerless. In addition, the shooters become famous with their faces splashed across televisions screens nationwide. The violent outbreak turns the tables and gives them both the power and attention they seek. This type of offender is almost always male; females approach retribution in less direct ways, such as hiring classmates or others to kill those they wish to strike out against.

Each case may represent a unique combination of factors. Some are physical, some behavioral, and others are learned. Physical factors can include birth complications. For example, being deprived of oxygen during the birth process can lead to brain dysfunction and learning disabilities. Violent behavior has been linked to certain forms of these abnormalities. Similarly, head injuries have been shown to increase the potential for violent behavior in certain individuals.

Behavioral problems can be linked to a difficult personality, which leads to problems of interacting with others, impulsiveness, and being unable to conform. These children may not blend into school activities and become ignored and rebellious. Some become depressed and take medication that can produce serious behavioral side effects. Broken family relationships can also be a major factor. Harshly treated children are more likely to behave violently later in life.

Being bullied or teased by others can often lead a troubled youth to violent revenge or retribution. This factor showed up repeatedly in the school shootings of the 1990s and beyond. It received the most attention from school administrators and others in the early twenty-first century.

Learning violent behavior can come from a dysfunctional or abnormal home life, perhaps involving domestic abuse or parents who do not respond well to authority figures such as the police. From this type of home environment, youth learn to react to authority such as teachers or school officials with aggression. Some believe learned violent behavior also comes from repeated exposure to violence in the media such as music lyrics, Hollywood movies, television programs, video games, and 24-hour news stations broadcasting violent or graphic scenes. Studies showed that youth exposed to an overwhelming amount of such material became more aggressive and no longer upset by violence and its consequences. These kids, it is believed, have trouble distinguishing between reality and fantasy.

Schools themselves have changed a great deal since the 1950s, and by the later twentieth century they brought a wide range of students together from often markedly different social environments. Differences appear in attitudes and behavior that can lead to social cliques or racial tensions. A major change was the emergence of gangs, which doubled between 1989 and 1993. Gang activity within schools included recruiting new members, which often led to school violence as part of initiation. In addition, illegal activities in the vicinity of the school increased, such as selling drugs and firearms.

Yet another major factor in the rise of deadly school violence was the easy availability of firearms and other weapons. Estimates in the 1990s on the number of weapons brought to school on a daily basis were staggering. The number of guns brought into schools on any given day ranged up to over 250,000 and the number of knives more than double that figure.


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10 days ago

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25 days ago

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3 months ago

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3 months ago

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4 months ago

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4 months ago

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4 months ago

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4 months ago

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4 months ago

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4 months ago

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4 months ago

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4 months ago

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5 months ago

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6 months ago

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6 months ago

I am a mother of 5 and I fear for my children's safety everyday. I fear more when they are at school because it is were that are exposed to more things that I can not control. I know what I instill in them; respect for others, respect for authority, and respect for self, but I can't control what other parents teach their children. This article is very enlightening. Maybe we should or force a training program for people who are becoming parents to teach them the importance of a positive environment for their children Although some kids will go astray no matter what you try, we must start somewher. My heart goes out to all the families that have lost their precious jewels, and also to the families of the children that caused such loss.

7 months ago

that was so terrible that eric and dylan did that i feel so sorry for cassie bernall and her family as i do for rachel scott i think that eric is beurning in hell

7 months ago

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7 months ago

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7 months ago

i need information on the causes of school violence and realistic ideas of some solutions to decrease if not eliminate the violence.

7 months ago

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8 months ago

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8 months ago

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8 months ago

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9 months ago

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9 months ago

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9 months ago

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9 months ago

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9 months ago

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9 months ago

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10 months ago

I am currently writing a paper a cause/effect paper in my English 101 class on school violence and school shooters. This is the first site that I have looked at so far and this has really helped me alot! Thank you!

11 months ago

I am also doing a paper on school violence, thank you so much for the information.

12 months ago

I am a student of Cambrian College writting a essay on school violence. I would just like to say this information has helped me a great deal with getting started. thanks again, Colin

about 1 year ago

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about 1 year ago

Thank you alot for this vital bit of information, Im a second year university student, where i was given this topic to write an argumentative reflection....I must say this body of knowlege gave me the push start and again many thanks.

about 1 year ago

i just wanted to say how truly sorry i feel about the columbine shooting.I can't imagine being there and experienceing such a disturbing time.