Can School Violence Really Be Prevented?
Across the United States, most schools have started, or are about to start, their new academic year. It’s a dreadful nightmare for every student and their family: An unspeakable act of merciless violence on a school campus that results in the deaths and injuries of innocent students, staff and faculty. Unfortunately, such terrible events take place on a regular basis throughout the nation. Recently, for instance, a gunman murdered an employee at a college bookstore. After such horrific events, one always asks the question, “Can future violent school tragedies be prevented?” The US Secret Service, in their ground-breaking report, “Safe School Initiative,” produced in the aftermath of Columbine, determined the following ten findings that perhaps can provide crucial insights about preventing possible future acts of school violence: *** Incidents of targeted violence at school rarely are sudden, impulsive acts. *** Prior to most incidents, other people knew about the attacker’s idea and/or
