Case Study for PSYC 210 LUO
Case Study:
School Shooting Involving a 6 Year Old Boy
Christopher G. Dietz
PSYC 210 D10 LUO
Professor: Jennifer Kennedy
Liberty University
A 6 year old boy brought a gun to school and shot and killed a fellow classmate. The police conducted a search of the boy’s home and found another stolen gun (12 gauge shot gun) and illegal drugs in the possession of the boy’s 19 year old brother, who was charged with involuntary man slaughter. The most likely circumstances that could have led this boy to commit such a violent crime would be guided participation, emotional regulation, and reactive aggression. Michigan state law says that any children under the age of seven are not considered criminally responsible for their actions. The charges for this crime were filed against the 19 year old brother who was found in possession of stolen guns and illegal drugs. As children develop over time their greatest influences are their parents and their peers. Kathleen Berger (2011), author of The Developing Person Through the Life Span, defines guided participation as, “the process by which people learn from others who guide their experiences and explorations” (p.241). Parents will set the standard for what children will view as the way life should be lived. Sadly, in this particular circumstance the 6 year old boy’s two male role models both reside in jail for gun-related charges. This child may have been exposed to multiple different kinds of behavior involving gun violence. Behavior such as this would send a message to the child, this is the way you get what you want in life. However if this child were raised in a Christian home, this shooting may have been prevented. In Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV) it says “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it”. Another circumstance that may have led to this violent crime happening is poorly developed emotional regulation. Emotional regulation is defined by Berger (2011) as, “the ability to control
School Shooting Involving a 6 Year Old Boy
Christopher G. Dietz
PSYC 210 D10 LUO
Professor: Jennifer Kennedy
Liberty University
A 6 year old boy brought a gun to school and shot and killed a fellow classmate. The police conducted a search of the boy’s home and found another stolen gun (12 gauge shot gun) and illegal drugs in the possession of the boy’s 19 year old brother, who was charged with involuntary man slaughter. The most likely circumstances that could have led this boy to commit such a violent crime would be guided participation, emotional regulation, and reactive aggression. Michigan state law says that any children under the age of seven are not considered criminally responsible for their actions. The charges for this crime were filed against the 19 year old brother who was found in possession of stolen guns and illegal drugs. As children develop over time their greatest influences are their parents and their peers. Kathleen Berger (2011), author of The Developing Person Through the Life Span, defines guided participation as, “the process by which people learn from others who guide their experiences and explorations” (p.241). Parents will set the standard for what children will view as the way life should be lived. Sadly, in this particular circumstance the 6 year old boy’s two male role models both reside in jail for gun-related charges. This child may have been exposed to multiple different kinds of behavior involving gun violence. Behavior such as this would send a message to the child, this is the way you get what you want in life. However if this child were raised in a Christian home, this shooting may have been prevented. In Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV) it says “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it”. Another circumstance that may have led to this violent crime happening is poorly developed emotional regulation. Emotional regulation is defined by Berger (2011) as, “the ability to control
References: Berger, K. (2011). The Developing Person Through the Life Span (8th ed., p. 241,265,279). New York: Worth.