Northeastern professor: school shootings not as prevalent as gun prohibitionists claim

[DispositionMatrix]

Despite Heightened Fear Of School Shootings, It's Not A Growing Epidemic

The Parkland shooting last month has energized student activists, who are angry and frustrated over gun violence. But it's also contributed to the impression that school shootings are a growing epidemic in America.

In truth, they're not.

"Schools are safer today than they had been in previous decades," says James Alan Fox, a professor of criminology at Northeastern University who has studied the phenomenon of mass murder since the 1980s.

 

[Dennis in MA]

What is epidemic is:

Copycats wanting their day in the paper.

News organizations that are hyped up about this.

The general system that ignores these problem-kids in the first place. Both parents and schools kick them down the road hoping all will be better later. And it isn't.

 

[ToddDubya]

Beat it, egghead. Nobody needs your statistics.

 

[drgrant]

Lol, nobody will talk about the fact that this whole thing is basically a fake problem. This is just as bad as the "random child abduction" and "tacks in the popcorn on halloween" bullshit from the late 80s early 90s.

-Mike

 

[eboos]

He may soon find that careers in academia are not as secure as people claim. Going against the hive mind can get you stung.

 

[Mesatchornug]

After last night's talk, this makes me feel better about the profs at my alma mater.

 

[drgrant]

He may soon find that careers in academia are not as secure as people claim. Going against the hive mind can get you stung.

I think it depends on the institution in question and whether they have any integrity or not.... mileage varies. There is also currently a silent war going on in academia about this
very issue, and its not just a "left vs right" thing either.

-Mike

 

[eboos]

This is just as bad as the "random child abduction" and "tacks in the popcorn on halloween" bullshit from the late 80s early 90s.

I wrote a critique in undergrad on a book (Culture of Fear) that talked about media bias, and sensationalization of these types of events to make them seem more common then they actually are. It discussed these things. Of course they still skewed the firearms used in crimes data.

Edit: Link is to a description of the book, not my critique which is unpublished.

 

[Paul455]

It does not feed the liberals' identity politics of guns, illegals, transgenders, etc.

 

[Dennis in MA]

I'd never heard the tacks in popcorn balls. But scoured my candy for 2 or 3 years in the late 70's/early 80's to ensure some nut didn't put a razor blade in it. Threw away all apples as well for fear of razor-death.

 

[Jason Flare]

I'd never heard the tacks in popcorn balls. But scoured my candy for 2 or 3 years in the late 70's/early 80's to ensure some nut didn't put a razor blade in it. Threw away all apples as well for fear of razor-death.

Everybody knew who the apple house and popcorn house were.

 

[ToddDubya]

Everybody knew who the apple house and popcorn house were.

The guy has a "Come Back with a Warrant" mat at the door.

 

[SpaceCritter]

The guy has a "Come Back with a Warrant" mat at the door.

We have one of those, but give out full-sized candy bars.

 

[eboos]

Everybody knew who the apple house and popcorn house were.

Lots of Disney films and no children? Always needs help finding his lost dog?

 

[CCW]

And it’s NP Ahhh!

 

[Horrible]

Had me until...

He endorses broader gun safety measures, such as "red flag" laws, which give authorities the ability to remove firearms temporarily from people deemed to be threatening violence to themselves or others.

If this is a hyped up problem, why do we need moar lawrs?

And "red flag" lawrs are NOT "gun safety"!! Gun safety is following the rules, going to the range to practice and learning safe operation of a firearm in the same manner that we teach our kids to safely operate a motor vehicle!!

 

[gws1063]

Prof. Fox is no friend of us right thinking gun owners, but at least he is honest about the data. He just reaches the wrong conclusions when he does use the data.

-Gary

 

[Mesatchornug]

Had me until...



If this is a hyped up problem, why do we need moar lawrs?

And "red flag" lawrs are NOT "gun safety"!! Gun safety is following the rules, going to the range to practice and learning safe operation of a firearm in the same manner that we teach our kids to safely operate a motor vehicle!!

Probably worth clarifying that they talked to several people in this article. This quote seems to be from a Dr Wintemute, as opposed to the NU professor the title references...

 

[Dennis in MA]

Everybody knew who the apple house and popcorn house were.

LOL

today I'd probably eat the popcorn ball. Only because in 2018, the only ones dumb enough to make them are ones that make them REALLY REALLY good. Not those abominations from the 70's.

I was talking to a buddy about making home-made fruitcake at Christmas. He's old school. Was talking about the "gummy-fruit" his mom used to put in it in the 60's and 70's. I bought real dried fruit. I couldn't imagine using that fake stuff. LOL

 

[IPSC_DRL]

Bath Michigan anyone?

I tell people all the time, I am analytical type with 30+ years of experience in computer technology.
You cannot solve a software problem by changing hardware.
The rifle operated properly given it's input parameters. The Parkland pinhead is the problem.

 

[Salyeica]

What is epidemic is:

Copycats wanting their day in the paper.

News organizations that are hyped up about this.

The general system that ignores these problem-kids in the first place. Both parents and schools kick them down the road hoping all will be better later. And it isn't.

This is my father’s position as well. His solution is to censor the media, though. We went back and forth on that point for a while earlier this week...

 

[ridleyman]

NPR objective? Wow! :emoji_thumbsup:

 

[jkelly1229]

Bath Michigan anyone?

I tell people all the time, I am analytical type with 30+ years of experience in computer technology.
You cannot solve a software problem by changing hardware.
The rifle operated properly given it's input parameters. The Parkland pinhead is the problem.

Then you wasted 30 years...

 

[Un-sane]

Bath Michigan anyone?

I tell people all the time, I am analytical type with 30+ years of experience in computer technology.
You cannot solve a software problem by changing hardware.
The rifle operated properly given it's input parameters. The Parkland pinhead is the problem.

Well stated!

 

[71montess]

This has got to mean something ! But the gun grabbers will work around it.