Explaining and preventing school shootings: Chances and difficulties of control

Abstract

School shootings have caused worldwide concern due to several severe incidents in the recent past. In the face of rising numbers of offenses and deaths, two major questions have been raised: (1) what causes school shootings to occur? and (2) how are further incidents to be prevented? In order to find answers to these questions, this chapter first reviews the current state of research on school shootings and then considers the possibilities and difficulties of control. The chapter then closes with further considerations as to how those opportunities may be utilized for preventive purposes. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.