
By Melanie Warner
Each time a high-profile mass shooting happens in America, a grieving and incredulous nation scrambles for answers. Who was this criminal and how could he (usually) have committed such a horrendous and inhumane act? A few details emerge about the individual’s troubled life and then everyone moves on.
Three years ago, Jillian Peterson, an associate professor of criminology at Hamline University, and James Densley, a professor of criminal justice at Metro State University, decided to take a different approach. In their view, the failure to gain a more meaningful and evidence-based understanding of why mass shooters do what they do seemed a lost opportunity to stop the next one from happening. Funded by the National Institute of Justice, the research arm of the Department of Justice, their research constructed a database of every mass shooter since 1966 who shot and killed four or more people in a public place, and every shooting incident at schools, workplaces and places of worship since 1999.
Share This Post!
Immigrant Health is Interpersonal
CSF written article Your Content Goes Here By Amanda Venta, PhD Waves of Latinx immigration to the United States have changed in recent decades, and our scientific literature is [...]
Essential Elements of a Trauma-Informed Juvenile Justice System
CSF written article Your Content Goes Here NCTSN Trauma-informed policies and procedures make juvenile justice organizations safer and more effective by ensuring the physical and psychological safety of all [...]
How Childhood Trauma Can Impact the Brain
CSF written article Your Content Goes Here Written by Kaytee Gillis, LCSW A recent study published in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging finds that childhood trauma can lead to [...]
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: The Missed Diagnosis
CSF written article Your Content Goes Here National Institute of Health Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is frequently under-diagnosed in maltreated samples. Protective services information is critical for obtaining complete [...]
Types of Therapy for Childhood Trauma Explained
CSF written article Your Content Goes Here Medically reviewed by Akilah Reynolds, PhD — Written by Mandy French on August 30, 2023 Childhood trauma can affect people in various ways. There are many therapy options [...]
The Intersection of Childhood Trauma and Addiction
CSF written article Your Content Goes Here By Shannon Karl Substance dependence leads to persistent negative consequences and the loss of human potential. These consequences often include chronic health [...]





