WHAT RESEARCH OF MASS SHOOTINGS REVEALS

 WHAT RESEARCH OF MASS SHOOTINGS REVEALS

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AIMS

  

    The starting point of interpretation consists of understanding

school shootings as violent actions committed by students with

the need to assert their masculinity. Masculinity is a social value.

    Research has shown that a school shooter's mental health

alone is insufficient perspective for solely explaining reasons

why they incidents shootings occur.

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SIGNS AND RED FLAGS

    The most problematic are the implications of the lone wolf

perpetrator. The lone wolf scenario tends to make people see

violence as non-systemic. There is no one single factor that

can be isolated amongst the myriad of variables that go into

the ingredients of creating a school shooter. 

    The use of weapons can be seen ass an expression of

masculinity Weapons are also symbols of masculinity. Just 

bringing the gun to school and sharing it off to others, tends

to be insufficient to establish masculinity. The school shooter

thus opens fire on the school's community

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FREQUENCY

    Globally, a studied from 1925-2011, found that the worst

year on the books, in terms of school shooting, was 2008. 49%

of all  school shootings took place in the 2000's. This

percentage correlated with post-Columbine, 1999.

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PLACE

   67 percent of all school shootings occur in the U.S. The U.S.

is more susceptible to experience mass shootings than any other

country in the world. Researchers note a spike in school shootings

post-1999-Columbine.

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AGE/RACE

 

   76% of those studied were between 12-21 years old when they committed a school shooting. There is a correlation between the 

offenders age, and the lethality of the incident. Those 19 and 

older have caused much more damage than those 15-18, as well

as 11-14. The older, the more lethal threat the represent.

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SCHOOL PERFORMANCE

  Generally, in research, two types of profiles are found. First,

is the "lost in a downward spiral" profile. This profile includes

students whose grades fell drastically before opening fire on

the community. Secondly, another specific profile emerges. This

is the profile of the "outstanding student." The people who meet

this profile are outstanding achievers and tend to get academic

recognition. Very few people, in either profile had any

significant criminal record prior to the shooting offense.

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CONCLUSIONS FROM RESEARCH

  The research paints a picture that illustrates that violent actions

reinforce and reinvigorate masculinity. Research suggests that

masculinity must be considered as a value that has an

academic foundation and plays a part in development of

social groups.