School Shooting Risk Assessment
Listen to the Nowhere to Hide podcast, focusing on those parts that deal with social media.
Review the Learning Resources pertaining to school shootings and cyberbullying.
The Assignment:
Write a 2- to 3-page paper that includes the following:
How does social media illustrate a threat in the school shooting case? How does that illustration affect the victim? Give specific examples.
In what ways is intensification of the threat evident in the case?
How does social media contribute to threat assessment? In what ways is it both helpful and obstructive? Use examples from scholarly literature as well as from the podcast.
What is the role of the parent or caregiver in preventing social media victimization? Should schools play a part in the prevention of social media victimization? Support your response with appropriate sources.
Assignment: School Shooting Risk Assessment
Student's Name
College/University
Course
Professor's Name
Due Date
Case Scenario Description
Jake Smith (a sophomore) suffers from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and he visits the psychiatrist complaining everyone in his school, including teachers, thinks he is a bad person. Jake complains that his teachers always complain about his destructive behaviors, including skipping school. This agitates Jake, and he plans to shut them off. Jake smokes weed despite being underage. He also has a history of drug abuse in the family, as his father was on parole for possession of marijuana and armed robbery. Jake comes from a dysfunctional family background, having spent several years in foster care (Walden University, 2021, Episode 2).
How does social media illustrate a threat in the school shooting case? How does that illustration affect the victim? Give specific examples.
The social media illustrates the threat of imminent school shooting because Jake's 15-year-old girlfriend disclosed to police officers Charlie Harris and Trish Bell during an interview that his boyfriend was planning to revenge. Jake posted a threatening message online targeting Miss Eager, "I hater her, that stupid bitch is going to get what she deserves. It's about time she gets it" (Walden University, 2021, Episode 3). This was after the English teacher (Miss Eager) got cigarettes and a lighter from Jake's pockets in front of the classroom, which was quite embarrassing. As a result, the school principal (Mr. Bishop) suspended Jake for three days. Jake plans to shoot Miss Eager and Mr. Bishop. This causes psychological torture for the teachers as Mr. Bishop does not know what to do next. For example, Jake's online post could have caused worry and anxiety for the teachers. In addition, the school principal questions his interactions with Jakes because he hardly knows the kid.
In what ways is intensification of the threat evident in the case?
Intensification of the threat is evident because Jake had taken premeditated measures in preparation for the shooting. He no longer wants to shoot bottles but instead something real. Lankford et al. (2019) state this constitutes a high-level threat because it is direct, specific, and plausible. The threat also includes concrete measures that Jake has taken to bring a gun to school and shoot his teachers on a specific day. In addition, Jake recognized his ...