The Violence Project's co-founder James Densley spoke with Talib Visram from Fast Company about the contagion effect of mass shootings and mental health. “The reality is: We weren’t living our best selves before the pandemic. America was not a happy, fully functioning place where everybody felt included, and where everybody was thriving. Going … [Read more...]
Will a return to normal post-pandemic mean a return of mass shootings?
Opinion: Two weeks, two mass shootings — back to normal for America
Welcome to the first Opinion newsletter of spring (though, and I’m sorry to say this, if the warming season provides a reason to hope, the circumstances certainly do not). I’m Paul Thornton, and it is Saturday, March 27, 2021. Let’s take a look back at the week in Opinion. Last week, it was Atlanta. Or was it Sandy Hook? Or Charleston? Or El … [Read more...]
Locks, Lights, and Out of Sight: How Lockdown Drills Affect America’s Children
"As schools re-open across the country, there’s one thing that has not gone away: lockdown drills." The Violence Project Co-Founder Jillian Peterson spoke to reporters for this CNN three-part article about how lockdown drills affect children. She spoke about The Violence Project's research into school shootings and her personal connection to … [Read more...]
Mass Shooter Database Version 3 is Now Available
What's new? Version 3 includes two new cases that met our definition from 2020 – far fewer mass shootings than in previous years. A new variable called “insider/outsider” was added to capture whether the perpetrator had an existing relationship with the site of their shooting. At K-12 schools, 85% of mass shooters were insiders. At colleges … [Read more...]
With schools returning to in-person learning, the threat of classroom shootings follows. Here’s how experts say we can prevent them from happening.
The Violence Project co-founder Jillian Peterson told Insider how threat assessment teams can help prevent school shootings, as well as prevent further tragedies like suicide, self-harm, and other forms of violence. "We really focus on things like safe, warm environments with strong relationships between students and adults so people feel more … [Read more...]