Workshop on Youth Violence

Ohio State University, The, Columbus OH

Investigators

Abstract

"This is our first task - caring for our children. It's our first job. If we don't get that right, we don't get anything right. That's how, as a society, we will be judged." - President Barack Obama at the prayer vigil in Newtown, December 16, 2012 On December 14th, 2012 Adam Lanza, age 20, first killed his mother in their home, and then went to an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut and began shooting, killing 20 children and 6 school employees, and injuring 2 other school employees before killing himself. Lanza joins a small, but growing list of rampage shooters who have attacked schools, movie theaters, shopping malls, and other public venues. Despite the rarity of these events, the scale of the loss when it happens is so devastating and apparently random, that the public and the nation's legislators are seeking answers to questions about causes and potential prevention measures. When rampage shootings occur, people want to know "the" cause. But violent criminal behavior is very complex and is determined by multiple factors. The Administration and Congress are responding with proposals for designed to speak to the need for change. President Obama has asked Vice President Biden to coordinate federal efforts and Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) has introduced legislation for a National Academies study on the impact of violent video imagery on children. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va), who has sponsored past research efforts on this matter, has asked the National Science Foundation (NSF) to find out what researchers know and don't know about the connection between exposure to media violence and youth violence and other factors that contribute to these devastating events. Professor Brad Bushman - an expert on exposure to violent media - and Dean Katherine Newman - an expert in rampage shooting - have called upon a committee of nine other participants with relevant expertise (e.g., communication, law, sociology, computer science, adolescent development, natural language analysis, gun policy, data analysis) to address this urgent and important topic. We will also identify gaps in the scientific literature by identifying what we have yet to learn, but can learn, from social science research.