A multi-level, multi-method investigation of the psycho-social life histories of mass shooters Jillian Peterson
By: Peterson, Jillian
.
Material type: 
BookPublisher: 2021Description: electronic document (38 pages) ; PDF file: 464 KB.Subject(s): National Institute of Justice | ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES | DOMESTIC VIOLENCE | GUNS | HOMICIDE | INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE | PERPETRATORS | STATISTICS | SUICIDE | TRAUMA | VIOLENCE | INTERNATIONAL | UNITED STATESOnline resources: Download report, PDF, 464 KB | Read summary Summary: This is the final report of the Mass public shooter database project. The project included four phases:
1. Creation of a comprehensive database of over 172 mass public shooters from 1966 to 2019 coded through over 150 individual-level psycho-social life history variables, including mental health history, trauma, interest in past shootings, and situational triggers.
2. Examination of situational variables and community-level socio-ecological factors of where mass public shootings took place (in schools, house of worship, workplaces, places of commerce, government, etc.), including, but not limited to, crime rates, measures of social inequality, availability of mental health resources, etc.
3. In-depth life history interviews with living mass shooters who are currently incarcerated and follow-up interviews with key stakeholders (e.g., family members, first responders, survivors) in the communities where shootings took place.
4. Dissemination of findings, creation of a public website, and implications for evidence-based prevention strategies.
The findings are summarised in an article published on the NIJ website, 3 February 2022.
Key findings include:
Suicidality was found to be a strong predictor of perpetration of mass shootings. Of all mass shooters in the The Violence Project database, 30% were suicidal prior to the shooting. An additional 39% were suicidal during the shooting. Those numbers were significantly higher for younger shooters, with K-12 students who engaged in mass shootings found to be suicidal in 92% of instances and college/university students who engaged in mass shooting suicidal 100% of the time.
In terms of past trauma, 31% of persons who perpetrated mass shootings were found to have experiences of severe childhood trauma, and over 80% were in crisis.
Most individuals who perpetrated mass shootings had a prior criminal record (64.5%) and a history of violence (62.8%), including domestic violence (27.9%). And 28.5% had a military background. Most died on the scene of the public mass shooting, with 38.4% dying by their own hand and 20.3% killed by law enforcement officers. (From the website). Record #7509
| Item type | Current location | Call number | Status | Date due | Barcode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Access online
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Family Violence library | Online | Available | ON22020038 |
This resource is being made publicly available through the
Office of Justice Programs’ National Criminal Justice Reference
Service (US).
This is the final report of the Mass public shooter database project. The project included four phases:
1. Creation of a comprehensive database of over 172 mass public shooters from 1966 to 2019 coded through over 150 individual-level psycho-social life history variables, including mental health history, trauma, interest in past shootings, and situational triggers.
2. Examination of situational variables and community-level socio-ecological factors of where mass public shootings took place (in schools, house of worship, workplaces, places of commerce, government, etc.), including, but not limited to, crime rates, measures of social inequality, availability of mental health resources, etc.
3. In-depth life history interviews with living mass shooters who are currently incarcerated and follow-up interviews with key stakeholders (e.g., family members, first responders, survivors) in the communities where shootings took place.
4. Dissemination of findings, creation of a public website, and implications for evidence-based prevention strategies.
The findings are summarised in an article published on the NIJ website, 3 February 2022.
Key findings include:
Suicidality was found to be a strong predictor of perpetration of mass shootings. Of all mass shooters in the The Violence Project database, 30% were suicidal prior to the shooting. An additional 39% were suicidal during the shooting. Those numbers were significantly higher for younger shooters, with K-12 students who engaged in mass shootings found to be suicidal in 92% of instances and college/university students who engaged in mass shooting suicidal 100% of the time.
In terms of past trauma, 31% of persons who perpetrated mass shootings were found to have experiences of severe childhood trauma, and over 80% were in crisis.
Most individuals who perpetrated mass shootings had a prior criminal record (64.5%) and a history of violence (62.8%), including domestic violence (27.9%). And 28.5% had a military background. Most died on the scene of the public mass shooting, with 38.4% dying by their own hand and 20.3% killed by law enforcement officers. (From the website). Record #7509
