You might be surprised to know that school shootings—and gun violence in general— have drastically decreased since 1993, according to FBI crime statistics. Even I was shocked. So why does it feel like such a problem now?
- Forensic clinical psychologist Dr. Dewey G. Cornell says first, there is the short time-frame issue: multiple incidents that are very close in temporal proximity flood the news with in depth and consuming stories. For that brief period, all you hear about is gun violence and you are therefore more likely to believe this “epidemic” illusion.
- Dr. Alex Mesoudi from the Department of Anthropology at Durham University makes a second point regarding the evolving media style: the twenty-four-hour news cycle. From the television at home, to the radio in the car, the computer at work, and the omnipresent vibrating smartphone in your pocket, you cannot escape from the news. The constant bombardment of messages from 5:30 A.M. to 11:00 P.M. makes every story seem like its been going on forever.
- The third reason—you guessed it—also involves the media: negativity makes the news. We are constantly being told how many shootings, bombings, and kidnappings are taking place each day. We never seem to get a break. Sure, there’s the Nightly News’ “Making a Difference” segment, but one positive example a day is hopelessly outnumbered by the flood of negative ones.
But can we really blame the media? News organizations cannot control the timing of school shootings. Yes, news is being reported 24/7, but the media is just evolving with the rapid rise of technology. People want to know who, what, when, where, why, and how. And they want to know now. Reporters are simply doing their job. They are keeping the public informed on the daily events, even if the majority of them is negative.
Apart from the school-shooting “epidemic” misconception, there is also misinformation regarding the mental health of the student responsible for the violence.
Myself included, we have a common assumption that anyone committing such violent acts must be “mentally ill.” According to Cornell, the majority of mass shooters are actually perfectly healthy people. This means that the majority of school violence can be prevented. So what is the answer?
Some say it’s the “zero-tolerance” policy—the immediate expulsion of any student who violates the school safety code in any way—is the best option. Cornell and a panel of psychology experts disagree. During an extensive research project, he and his team discovered that negatives and loopholes of the “zero-tolerance” policy far outweigh the potential benefits.
It isn’t hard to disagree with the zero-tolerance policy. The intentions are good, but the outcome is unfair punishment due to misunderstood infractions of school policy. One of the loopholes found by Cornell was the expulsion a five-year-old student in California who presented his teacher with a razor-blade. It turns out he had just found it at the bus stop, and turned it in, unsure of how to handle the situation.
Instead, they suggest prevention techniques like school-counseling and violence prevention programs. Controlled studies done on such policies show their relative effectiveness, as well. It seems logical this would work; sometimes over-emotional students just need to talk to someone, and teaching children how to deal with problematic situations is always better than blind punishment.
As even I am caught up in modern media, let this be a reminder to all of us that everything is not always as it seems. Sometimes in order to get the facts, you have to turn away from popular belief and seek out those who are dedicated to the truth, like Dr. Cornell and Dr. Mesoudi. Finally, have faith and hope that prevention techniques are implemented so we as a country can continue to decrease school-shootings.
