Kids with weapons

I just read a news article this morning about a 12 year old girl in Los Angeles walking into her middle school and shooting other students. It got me thinking that this would never have happened when I was a kid. What makes a child that young think of murder?

Could it be that computer games are so violent that they diminish killing in the mind of the child because in games characters that die come back to life?

I wondered what other theories If any others might have about this

Computer games could be a factor obviously Milly but...hey this is a very old, and mostly argumentative topic on here...it's the gun laws (or lack of them) in America to blame....

I'm sorry Hellon I didn't mean to bring up something tgat has been discussed before. I guess what makes it so tragic is that it was a 12 year old girl. The end of innocence not only of her victims but for her too.

As profoundly disturbing as it may seem, the NRA has such a stranglehold on elected officials that the odds of true USA gun reform are nonexistent.

I just read a bit about it and a witness said it was accidental. That the girl thought it was a toy.

Accident or not, I think the parents might be a big part of the blame. How in the world did they have a gun so easily accessible to a 12 year old?

As far as violent video games, that's also on parents. They either buy them these games or don't monitor what they're playing.
I will say, I've played plenty of violent video games (from a young age and still do), but never had that "detachment" from real life. But of course, everyone is different.

I'm sorry Milly, I really didn't mean to sound nasty or condescending it's just a subject I've debated passionately about on here over the years and have given up hope of ever understanding why America has not changed their gun laws after so many tragedies that could have been prevented in my opinion.

I never have debated this subject. ..and I'm curently lost in darkness this year. ..but I do have a voice and I would like to share a few things. I'm all for weapons to be used for those who choose to hunt. ..for those who keep the peace. ..

I'm against having them in my world due to my grandfather's suicide. ..

For the past 5 years my oldest child has surrounded her self in a gang filled with violence, now that she fights cancer she is educating me on how easy it is to get one...I won't go into the list of ways she has shared, it's a black market world...

Parents who choose to not lock up their licensed weapons can be to blame...but a young kid. Can go on the streets and get one as easy as purchasing candy. ...

Bird explained. ...a child exposed to a gang are taught to defend them selves. ..to hate and mistrust. ..they can get weapons. ..easily...

Money ,if you have it...can bipass a license and if your willing, people will sell to anyone at any age for the almighty dollar.

Just wanted to share.

"Could it be that computer games are so violent that they diminish killing in the mind of the child because in games characters that die come back to life?"

There is a correlation between playing violent video/computer games and heightened expressions of violence, but it's not a strong one. I imagine kids would need to be predisposed to violence through nature/nurture or a combination of both to act out such an extreme form of violence (shooting up a school). Lots of potential reasons behind this sort of violence:

Sociopathy/psychopathy. The terms are interchangeable, but have been muddled in pop culture. Psychologists disagree how many people are psychopaths, but could be around 4% of the population. Psychopathy is innate and untreatable. It doesn't always lead to violence and has different expressions, but typically a person does not have a "conscience," in other words does not feel guilt/remorse/empathy. Psychologists use the Hare psychopathy checklist-revised, now the Psychopathy Checklist—revised (PCL-R), which is a 20-item checklist, to identify whether someone meets the criteria of a psychopath. I believe psychopathy is not a personality disorder as per the DSM-5, but Antisocial Personality Disorder is, and that would be the diagnosis.

Abuse/neglect. Not all children who suffer abuse or neglect continue this cycle (my mom is an example of someone who broke the cycle), but there is a higher percentage among these groups than among children from happy/healthy/safe upbringings. The abuse is usually perpetrated within the family. Behavior in children is learned (ask any behaviorist). Violence begets violence. And yes, corporal punishment is violence and is correlated to a higher risk of behavior problems. Authoritarian parenting practices are also correlated to behavior problems.

Bullying can lead to anxiety, depression, failing grades, a sense of lost control, anger, frustration, behavior problems...
Gang initiation/membership.
Certain types of drugs/alcohol abuse.
Those with mental health issues are more likely to be the victims of violence than the perpetrators of it, but maybe misuse or abuse of psychoactive medications?

I'm sure I could come up with further explanations if I thought about it longer. Trying to get guns out of the U.S. is pointless -- it won't happen any time soon, but there should be stricter gun laws in many states, and those who own guns legally should be extremely careful not to let them ever get into the wrong hands (children getting their hands on them, theft, burglary, drunk friends, etc.). I support Andrea's statement that guns are VERY easy to get in many, if not all states. Living in Nevada where gun laws are especially lax, it's terrifying to me how easy it is for anyone to get a gun in their possession.

It is a sad world we live in where people teach violence and hate and where in their search for power and money they make life so cheap. So many young innocent lived ruined by unscrupulous people. Especially when money, power and hate can never bring happiness or a fulfilled life.

Thank you for sharing Andrea x

Hi Hellon, I think your right it doesn't seem right that America has not changed their him laws. I see so many true life murder programmes where neighbours suddenly go crazy and kill someone that irritated them in their street. Unfortunately there are too many people who are very pro guns and putting someone behind bars doesn't undo the damage they've caused to other people's lives. Milly x

Poetess. I agree I think the parents definitely have to bear part of the blame if nothing else for having s loaded gun within reach of a child.

What is s scary thought is that just because the child said she thought it was a toy doesn't mean that's the truth. She may well be innocent but equally she could just be very clever and by saying she thought it was a toy would take some of the heat off her.

Years ago in the UK two school kids kidnapped a toddler and tortured him to death and there have been other reports of failed kidnap attempts by children acting out fantasy which involved killing smaller kids

Jane you brought up some very valid and intresting points in your response and I think you are right about the sociopathy and psychopathy aspects in particular. It must be very difficult living and bringing up a family in a country where it is so dangerous that you feel you need to have a gun just to defend yourself because others might use a gun on you. Milly x