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Davydov D.G., Khlomov K.D. (2018). Massacres in educational institutions: mechanisms, causes, prevention. National Psychological Journal, 4, 62–76

Abstract

Introduction. The massacres in schools and colleges committed by their students are initially associated with the United States, but in recent decades the phenomenon has spread to other countries including Russia. Such tragedies affecting children and adolescents are of particular interest to politicians, general public and professionals.

The Objective of this research is to summarize the foreign literature accounts of the phenomenon of mass school murders, the structure of this phenomenon, the stages of its development and factors that cause it.

Procedure. Research methodology included search and generalization of conclusions from scientific and applied publications on the issue. The search was carried out using bibliographic systems and scientific networks Web of Knowledge, Scopus, ResearchGate, Google Scholar, Academia.edu, Mendeley. He author selected 55 scientific publications on specific cases and meta-analysis of data aimed at addressing socio-psychological factors of school shootings and prevention.

Findings. The main methodological approaches to the analysis of school shootings are described, the theories offering a systematic understanding of this phenomenon are presented, the stages of both social and personal predictors of school shootings are defined.

Conclusion. The analysis of the literature allows interpreting massacres in schools as an independent phenomenon, to reconstruct the events, to determine the main mechanisms and development stages, to offer effective ways to detect and prevent threats.

Received: 12/23/2018
Accepted: 01/17/2019
Pages: 62-76
DOI: 10.11621/npj.2018.0406

Sections: Psychology and Society;

PDF: Download

Keywords: school shootings; school violence; violence against peers; massacre; security; education;

Available Online 30.01.2019

Table 1. Attacks of school students on classmates and employees of educational organizations of Russia using firearms throughout 2014–2018.

Event Date

Accident Site

Firearms, number of attackers and injured people

Outcome for attacker

03.02.2014

School 263, Moscow, Russia

Small-bore rifle, 1 attacker, 2 dead adults (teacher and school guard), 1 injured adult (police officer)

Detained, sent for compulsory treatment by court order

10.05.2018

Lunin Branch of the Novosibirsk College of Transport Technologies, Barabinsk, Russia

Smoothbore hunting rifle, 3 injured college students

Suicide

17.10.2018

Polytechnic College, Kerch, Russia

Firearms, explosive devices, 1 attacker, 5 college workers and 16 college students including the attacker killed, 67 people injured

Suicide

Table 2. Attacks of school students on classmates and employees of educational organizations of Russia using cold steel and other types of weapon throughout 2014–2018.

Event Date

Accident Site

Firearms, number of attackers and injured people

Outcome for attacker

14.04.2014

School 39, St.-Petersburg, Russia

1 attacker, 1 injured adult (teacher)

Detained, sent for compulsory treatment

15.12.2014

School 4, Bryansk, Russia

Air gun, 1 injured student

Detained

17.03.2016

College of Hospitality and Management 23, Moscow, Russia

1 attacker, knife, 1 injured

Detained

18.03.2016

School 3, Nakhodka, Russia

1 attacker, knife, 1 killed (student)

Suicide

1.11.2017

Polytechnical College 42 Moscow, Russia

1 attacker, knife, 1 killed adult (teacher)

Suicide

05.09.2017

School 1, Ivanteevka, Russia

Air gun, топор, 1 attacker, 3 injured (students) и 1 injured adult (teacher)

Detained

8.12.2017

School 4, Irkutsk, Russia

1 attacker, knife, 1 injured student

Detained

25.10.2017

School 85, Volgograd, Russia

1 attacker, knife, 1 injured student

Detained

11.02.2017

School 1, Nizhnekamsk, Russia

Air gun, 1 student killed

Detained

17.11.2017

School 48, Nizhniy Novgorod

1 attacker, knife, 1 injured student

Detained

28.11.2017

School 1, Vysokovsk, Russia

1 attacker, knife, 1 injured

Detained

12.05.2017

School 2, Usinsk, Komi Republic, Russia

Air gun, 1 injured student

Detained

15.01.2018

School 127, Perm, Russia

2 attackers, knives, 9 injured students, 1 injured teacher

Detained

17.01.2018

School in Smolnoe village, Russia

1 attacker, knife, 1 пострадавший ученик

Detained

19.01.2018

School in Sosnovyy Bor Town, Russia

Axe, bottle bomb, 1 attacker, 6 injured students, 1 injured teacher

Detained

18.04.2018

School 1, Sterlitamak, Bashkorkostan, Russia

1 attacker, knife, 1 injured (student)

Detained

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For citing this article:

Davydov D.G., Khlomov K.D. (2018). Massacres in educational institutions: mechanisms, causes, prevention. National Psychological Journal, 4, 62–76