- How can we intervene and reduce school gun violence?

- Kolbe, L. J. (2020). School gun violence in the united states. The Journal of School

Health, 90(3), 245–253. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12866

The purpose of this article is to inform others about the current culture within

education and how public health takes its approach toward gun violence.

The author, Lloyd J. Kolbe, talks in depth about the effects of school gun violence and

indicates multiple scenarios in which a gun has hit school property and resulted in

different effects. The methodology was reviewing the nature of school gun violence in

the United States and efforts to prevent it. (Kolbe L.J. 2020.) Lloyd J. Kolbe, Ph.D., is a

professor at Indiana University School of Public Health and he assists at a national level

to help children and adolescents in education.

This article is relevant because of the use of data, it implements the many

interventions that can be used as well as what steps public health is going to take in the

future. At a national level, “Several federal interventions have been implemented to

reduce the prevalence of guns in or near K-12 schools,” (Kolbe J. L. 2020,) like the

Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990. The research method that was conducted relatively

matches the type of study and results they were intended to look for. Reviewing the

nature of school gun violence as a whole has helped at a national level to find prevention

and help young people move forward from this current violence.
- Warnick, B. R., Kim, S. H., & Robinson, S. (2015). Gun violence and the meaning of

American schools: gun violence and the meaning of american schools. Educational

Theory, 65(4), 371–386. https://doi.org/10.1111/edth.12122

This article touches more on targeted school shootings and examines the social

meanings that exist. The authors wanted to find data by analyzing the social meaning of

American schooling by using empirical data, everyday observations, films, and poetry,

and then connect these points of meaning to stories of individual school shooters

(Warnick, B.R., Kim, S.H. & Robinson, S. 2015.) In their findings they found that

schools, in general, are a place of symbolic violence, meaning the power of authority

often rules the day for students. Schools are places connected to expectations of hope,

refuge, friendship, and romance, and when these expectations are not met, bitter

resentment flows against schools (Warnick, B.R., Kim, S.H. & Robinson, S. 2015.) Bryan

R. Warnick, Sang Hyun Kim, and Shannon Robinson are all related within the

Department of Education & Education Studies and collaborated on this research in order

to find the reasoning behind target school violence.

The relevance of my research question correlates with the deeper meaning behind

school shootings. Specifically relating to targeted school shootings, the research gives a

different perspective showing the conflicts between school culture and how a student may

express violent intentions. I feel that the research theory is relative and shows a lot of

information that most may not think about as young people. The methodology is

important in this research because, in the end, the authors would use the analysis and

apply it to prevent school shootings.

A., Clark, C., & Pardini, D. (2020). Prevalence and risk factors associated with carrying a

gun to school during adolescence: a statewide study of middle and high school students.

Journal of School Violence, 19(1), 35–47.

https://doi.org/10.1080/15388220.2019.1703718

This statistical research studies students 8-12th grade across Arizona through a

survey. It examines the number of times a handgun has been on school property and the

severity of it. In each year, 0.5% to 0.8% of students reported carrying a handgun to

school in the past year, and roughly half the schools had at least one student who brought

a gun to school (Docherty, M., Sweeten, G., Craig, T., Yang, V. J. H., Decrop, R.,

Beardslee, J., Piquero, A., Clark, C., & Pardini, D. 2020.) These nine authors worked

together to find the statistical matter between handguns within a school. A mix of

Psychology and Criminal Justice professors identified the data and explained that the

attempt to reduce gun violence is relative and has an impact.

Finding the reasoning behind school gun violence in this research is shown that

carrying a handgun can be explained by risk factors related to a criminal lifestyle,

differential association, and fear of victimization theories (Docherty, M., Sweeten, G.,

Craig, T., Yang, V. J. H., Decrop, R., Beardslee, J., Piquero, A., Clark, C., & Pardini, D.

2020.) The strength in this material is the data suggesting that programs within the school

that help reduce the negative violence is implementing a start for change in young people

and their violence theories.

firearm violence in high schools: principals’ perceptions and practices. Journal of

Community Health : The Publication for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention,

41(2), 234–243. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-015-0087-0

Research was conducted in a national sample of secondary school principals that were

questioned about their input on reducing firearm violence in high schools. The

questionnaire contained topics relating to the number of issues that influence firearms in

schools and what interventions the principles may have made. Less than half the schools

trained school personnel regarding firearm violence issues (Price, J. H., Khubchandani,

J., Payton, E., & Thompson, A. 2016.) Ball State University and the Department of

Physiology and Health Science holds two researchers Jagdish Khubchandani and Erica

Payton, while the University of Toledo and the Department of Health professionals hold

Amy Thompson and James H. Price. These four conducted these questionnaires in order

to find a principal’s perception and inferred that more data would be needed for school

systems to create the best intervention possible.

This research helps answer the negative aspects of reducing gun violence and it

shows the lack of information that most principles experience with the subject. This data

can help officials and show them the wrongs of what principles go through and help them

create better interventions. A weakness in the research is the way the questionnaires were

delivered, which were by mail. This can cause conflict in which most principals did not

respond to the study, this can cause the information to be missed in the different types of

prevention practices.
- Coker, A. L., Bush, H. M., Follingstad, D. R., & Brancato, C. J. (2017). Frequency of

guns in the households of high school seniors. Journal of School Health, 87(3), 153–158.

https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12479

Researchers conducted a study in order to find the relevance between gun ownership

within a household and gun violence in schools. Researchers found that most

high-income families are found to have a household firearm present, although the data

shows that most teenagers knew of the gun, it did not increase negative mental health.

The data was found within demographic attributes and by asking twenty-four Kentucky

high schools to participate focusing on seniors only. Four University of Kentucky

professors conducted this research as well as a research scientist, Candace J. Brancato.

This study opens up at a federal level showing the bans against gun violence and how a

firearm present in the household harms the youth. The objective of the study was to

identify students at greater risk of gun-related injury if guns were accessible in their

households (Coker, A. L., Bush, H. M., Follingstad, D. R., & Brancato, C. J. 2017.) This

can help other researchers identify the common impact towards the violence and other

interventions. The demographic idea in this research could be biased based on ethnicity

rates. The high schools that were in the study and their data would not correlate with a

school in other states, etc. In order to see from all aspects and demographics a national

study with the same concept would help more.

Journal of School Health, 80(8), 394–8.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2010.00519.x

The purpose of this study is to describe a teachers’ view on whether or not gun safety

should be taught to children in the preschool and elementary years (Obeng, C. 2010.)

From the data over half the respondents agreed to teach gun safety at an earlier age in

order to prevent it later on down the road. This can also teach children and teachers the

safety protocol if ever in a gun-related situation. The author, Cecilia Obeng, has a Ph.D.

in Applied Health Sciences and resides at Indiana University.

It is important to know the perspective of a teacher in a gun violence situation

because, in reality, they are the ones present. This study can help see that perspective

when asking if it should be taught, the teachers in the study ultimately agreed that

elementary years are the time to teach about violence. Since children are so young in

elementary years, it is hard to know if they could fully grasp that information at that age.

Since teachers did not feel comfortable with teaching the subject they suggested military

personnel or police should teach the material. This could cause conflict or even help the

children form their own opinion on authority.

depressive symptoms, and gun carrying at school. American Journal of Criminal Justice :

The Journal of the Southern Criminal Justice Association, 44(1), 146–165.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-018-9438-6

This study focuses on the mental aspects of delinquency at schools and how it impacts

young minds. Focusing on the mental state of students as well as their background gave

researchers the data needed in order to see the risk. “Those who had been suspended from

school and those who had worse grades report more depressive symptoms, more peer

delinquency means more depressive symptoms, and less reflective decision making and

less self-control mean more depressive symptoms (Watts, S. J., Province, K., & Toohy, K.

2019.) Stephen J. Watts, Karli Province & Kayla Toohy, are all part of the Department of

Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Memphis.

Mental health plays a significant role in the situation of gun-related violence. Whether

it be the victim or defendant, in each way mental health will come into effect. This

research helps us understand why most students go through mental health issues at such a

young age and how it impacts those around them. Going through the same motions every

day and being around the same people, that may not always treat you right, can be an

effect on teenagers developing mental health issues. If not, a rocky upbringing can cause

conflict between students and their relationships. This research does not give answers for

the prevention of gun violence but it does show the concept in a deeper meaning, looking

at the mental side of the situation.

of high schools in firearm violence prevention. Journal of Community Health: The

Publication for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, 42(6), 1118–1126.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-017-0360-5

Lastly, this research touches on a parent aspect and their expectation of schools in

order to prevent gun violence. The purpose of this study was to examine what parents

thought schools should be doing to reduce the risk of firearm violence in schools (Payton,

E., Khubchandani, J., Thompson, A., & Price, J. H. 2017.) With the researchers sending

surveys through the mail, 70% agreed that working with law enforcement to design an

emergency response plan (Payton, E., Khubchandani, J., Thompson, A., & Price, J. H.

2017) would impact the most. As from a previous article, these authors are

knowledgeable about the public health aspect and regularly focus on education status.

It is important to include a parent aspect because at times they are the root of the

issues and hold major accountability. Their opinions on this matter can help authorities

listen and decide on how to impact their communities as a whole. The data shows that all

parents want some kind of intervention and if the survey was to go nationwide, it would

get the same input but better because all parents want the same safety for their children.