Amok at Schools (eBook)

Foreword 5
Preface 6
Contents 8
Contributors 9
1: Definition and Typology 10
1.1 Introduction 11
1.2 Distinction from Rampages 13
1.3 Distinction from Terrorist Attacks 15
1.4 Distinction from Extended Suicide 16
References 18
2: Selected School Shootings Worldwide 20
2.1 Columbine 22
2.1.1 How Did the Crime Unfold? 22
2.1.2 What Is Known About the Perpetrators? 23
2.1.3 What Is Known About the Motives for the Crime? 23
2.1.4 Were There Any Signs of Leaking? 24
2.1.5 What Have Been the Consequences of the Crime? 24
2.2 Erfurt 24
2.2.1 How Did the Crime Unfold? 25
2.2.2 What Is Known About the Perpetrator? 25
2.2.3 Were There Any Signs of Leaking? 26
2.2.4 What Is Known About the Motives for the Crime? 26
2.2.5 What Have Been the Consequences of the Crime? 26
2.3 Winnenden 27
2.3.1 How Did the Crime Unfold? 27
2.3.2 What Is Known About the Perpetrator? 27
2.3.3 Were There Any Signs of Leaking? 28
2.3.4 What Is Known About the Motives for the Crime? 28
2.3.5 What Have Been the Consequences of the Crime? 29
2.4 Emsdetten 29
2.4.1 How Did the Crime Unfold? 29
2.4.2 What Is Known About the Perpetrator? 30
2.4.3 Were There Any Signs of Leaking? 30
2.4.4 What Is Known About the Motives for the Crime? 31
2.4.5 What Have Been the Consequences of the Crime? 31
2.5 Jokela 31
2.5.1 How Did the Crime Unfold? 31
2.5.2 What Is Known About the Perpetrator? 32
2.5.3 Were There Any Signs of Leaking? 32
2.5.4 What Is Known About the Motives for the Crime? 32
2.5.5 What Have Been the Consequences of the Crime? 33
2.6 Prevalence Rate 33
References 33
3: Causes 36
3.1 Perpetrators 38
3.1.1 Spree Killers: The Question of Who 38
3.1.2 Research and Science on the “Rampage” Phenomenon 39
Difficulties and Challenges in Research 39
3.1.3 Outline of Research 40
3.1.4 Examination of Characteristics 41
Physiological Characteristics 41
Personality Traits 41
Fascination with Violence 41
The Spree Killer as a Loner 42
Systematic Loss of Control 42
Clinical Features 43
Narcissism and Disorders of Self-Esteem 43
Depressive Disorders 44
Social Characteristics 45
School 46
Spree Killers as Victims of Bullying and Social Rejection 46
Family Characteristics 47
3.1.5 Types of Offenders: An Attempt at Categorisation 48
Psychopathic Offenders 48
Psychotic Offenders 49
Traumatised Offenders 49
3.1.6 Spree Killers and Their Personalities: Conclusion 49
3.2 Living Environment 51
3.2.1 Introduction 51
3.2.2 Factors of the Living Environment 51
Family 51
Peers 53
Societal and Other Social Factors 55
3.2.3 Theories of Control 56
Social Control Theory 56
Control Balance Theory 59
3.3 School: More Than a Crime Scene for School Shootings? 61
3.3.1 Introduction 61
3.3.2 School and Violence 62
Tradition of Research on Violence in Schools 62
Socio-Economic and Structural Factors Influencing the Institution of Schooling 62
School Systems and School Organisation 63
3.3.3 School Climate and Culture 64
Denial of Danger and Communication Problems 64
Hierarchies 66
Zero Tolerance Policy 66
3.3.4 Emotional Attachment of Pupils to the School 67
3.3.5 Offences, Bullying and Violence 67
3.3.6 Loss of Control 68
Loss of Control at the Organizational Level 68
Loss of Control at the Individual Level 68
3.3.7 School as a Source of Social Recognition 69
3.3.8 Special Warning Signals 69
3.3.9 Conclusion: Resilience and Democracy in Action 69
3.4 Influence and Consequences of the Mass Media 70
3.4.1 Characteristics of Communication 70
3.4.2 Media Framing 71
Influence of the Media on the Individual and Society 72
Framing in a Cultural Context 72
Framing in the Context of Proximity and Distance 74
3.4.3 Imitation 74
The Copycat Phenomenon 75
Use of the Media for Self-Presentation 76
Media at the Centre of Criticism 77
Frequent and Detailed Reporting 77
High-Profile Offenders 78
3.5 Accessibility to Weapons 79
3.5.1 Introduction 79
3.5.2 Definitions and Typology 80
What Is a Weapon? 80
Prohibited Weapons 81
3.5.3 Weapons Legislation in Germany and the USA 83
Weapons Law in Germany 83
Requirements for the Acquisition of Weapons and Ammunition 84
Types of Weapons Ownership Cards 84
The Weapons Licence 85
Gun Laws in the United States 86
Important Data 86
The State Laws 87
3.5.4 Possession of Weapons in Schools 88
General Possession of Weapons in Schools 88
Gender and Weapon Possession 89
Use of Weapons at School 90
Characteristics of Student Who Possess Weapons 91
View of the School Principals 91
3.6 Consumption of Media Containing Violence 93
3.6.1 Definition of Violent Media 93
Concept of Violence 93
Content Analysis of Violence in the Media 94
Content Analysis of Violence in Computer Games 95
3.6.2 Use of Media Containing Violence 97
Prevalence 97
Motives for the Use of Media Content Containing Violence 98
Recipient Properties 99
Theoretical Approaches to the Attractiveness of Media Content Containing Violence 100
3.6.3 Media Impact 102
Theses on Media Effects 102
3.6.4 Conclusion 105
References 106
References on Section 3.1 106
References on Section 3.2 108
References on Section 3.3 109
References on Section 3.4 110
References on Section 3.5 111
References on Section 3.6 112
4: Characteristics of the Crime (Motives, Sequence of Events) 115
4.1 Introduction 116
4.2 Characteristics of the Offence 117
4.2.1 Planning of the Crime 117
4.2.2 Leaking 117
4.2.3 Time of the Crime 118
4.2.4 Weapon(s) 119
4.2.5 Victims of the Crime 120
4.2.6 Outcome of the Offence 121
4.3 Triggers and Motives for the Crime 122
4.3.1 Triggers of the Crime 122
4.3.2 Motives for the Crime 124
4.4 Sequence of Events 126
4.5 Conclusions 128
References 130
5: Preventive Measures 134
5.1 Primary Prevention Approaches 135
5.1.1 Primary Prevention of Rampages in Schools 136
Ways of Preventing Serious Targeted Violence Among Pupils 137
Prevention Approaches for Teachers 142
School-Wide Prevention Measures 147
School-Wide Harm Reduction Prevention Measures 149
5.1.2 Prevention Measures in the Non-school Context 150
Promote a Conflict-Free Family Environment and Healthy Child Development 152
Promoting Early Childhood Education 152
Connecting Young People to Protective Institutions and Adults Who Act as Role Models 153
Protective Physical and Social Environment for Young People 153
5.1.3 Weapons Legislation 154
5.1.4 Outlook 155
5.2 Secondary Preventive Measures 156
5.2.1 Profiling Approaches and Checklists 158
5.2.2 Threat Assessment 159
The Practical Application of Threat Assessment in Specific Programmes in Germany 161
5.2.3 Evaluation of Leaking 163
Copycats 164
5.2.4 Conclusion 167
5.3 KomPass Plus: An Innovative Approach to Crisis Prevention at School 168
5.3.1 Introduction 168
5.3.2 KomPass Plus 170
5.3.3 Special Features 171
5.3.4 Evaluation 175
5.3.5 Results on Effectiveness 177
Level Response 178
Learning Level 180
Behaviour Level 181
Level Results 183
5.3.6 Discussion 184
References 186
References on Section 5.1 186
References on Section 5.2 188
References on Section 5.3 189
6: Interventions 191
6.1 Intervention After the Start of the Offence 193
6.1.1 Police 194
6.1.2 Fire Brigade and Doctors 196
6.1.3 School Community 196
6.1.4 Media 199
References 201
7: Aftercare 202
7.1 Psychological Consequences for Survivors 204
7.2 Introduction to Aftercare Programmes 207
7.2.1 Core Elements of the Aftercare Programmes 207
The Phase Progression of the Aftercare 207
Five Evidence-Based Principles for Short-Term and Medium-Term Interventions 207
7.2.2 Requirements for the Design of Aftercare Programmes 211
7.3 On the Day of the School Shooting 212
7.3.1 Emergency Psychological Interventions 212
7.3.2 Establishment of a Hotline 214
7.3.3 Dealing with Media 215
7.3.4 Needs Analysis 215
7.4 The First Days After the School Shooting 216
7.4.1 Organisation of Information Sessions for Teachers and Parents 216
7.4.2 Leave of Absence from School 217
7.4.3 Letter to Parents 217
7.4.4 Safe Haven: Creating a Safe Place of Retreat 217
7.4.5 Rituals and Group Discussions at School 218
7.5 The First Weeks and Months After the School Shooting 220
7.5.1 Diagnostic Criteria of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) According to DSM-5 220
7.5.2 Screening Procedure 221
7.5.3 Clinical Psychological Trauma Therapy Work with Adults 222
7.5.4 Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT) for Children and Adolescents 224
7.5.5 Pharmacotherapy During Trauma Therapy 224
7.6 Longer-Term Intervention Possibilities 226
7.6.1 Comm on Rituals 226
7.7 Lessons Learned and Consequences 227
References 228
8: Trauma Therapy for Acutely Traumatised Patients in the Context of an Outpatient Trauma Department 233
8.1 Initial Situation and Historical Development 235
8.2 Indications, Allocation and Payers 236
8.2.1 Psychological Traumatisation in Victims and Witnesses of Violence (OEG) 236
8.2.2 Psychological Trauma After Accidents at Work and on the Way to Work (DGUV) 237
8.2.3 Psychological Traumatisation Following Other Stressful Events 237
8.2.4 Contraindications and Exclusion Criteria 238
8.3 Offers of the Saarland Outpatient Trauma Department 239
8.3.1 Outpatient Trauma Department (OEG) 241
8.3.2 Outpatient Trauma Department (DGUV) 242
8.3.3 Outpatient Trauma Department for Other Cases of Psychological Traumatisation 243
8.4 Evaluation 245
8.4.1 Outpatient Trauma Department (OEG) 245
8.4.2 Outpatient Trauma Department (DGUV) 247
8.4.3 Treatment Results of the Total Sample (OEG and DGUV) 249
8.5 Implications for Treatment 252
8.6 Summary and Outlook 254
References 256