Identifying Mass Murderers & Other Criminals - The Role of Public Schools

For years, we heard about racial profiling as Cops attempted to stop crimes before they happened in our inner cities where crime rates are highest.  That has all stopped so now we have rampant crime and murders in our inner cities.  Maybe what we should be doing is Criminal Profiling that has nothing to do with race.   Let's start with Mass Murderers.  We know that most of the Mass Murders committed in our country involve young men who are 16 - 25 years of age growing up in dysfunctional families, often in poverty.  These are usually kids who were bullied in school, loners with very few if any friends.  Teachers and Administrators know these kids.  They see what is happening.  In addition to dealing with these kids, school sites must be hardened with armed guards to stop a would be killer.  And by the way, the same is true related to Malls, churches and all other places where lots of people gather. 

Since 90% of kids in our country go to public schools, they have a huge role to play in helping to identify Mass Murderers early on.  First, it would be great if public schools worked to educate children so that half the kids in our country cannot read or do math at grade level and inner city kids are way below grade level.  If these kids were better educated, just maybe living in poverty could be averted.  That said, bullying is a real problem in our schools.  As a former teacher, I saw this close up.  Any kid who is different for any reason is often bullied.  Kids that come from strong intact families can overcome bullying; but kids who come from dysfunctional families with a miserable life both at home and at school are most at risk of becoming disaffected.  Add in exposure to violent video games and movies and the impact of social media and we have the making of a Mass Murderer.   

Public Schools need to intervene when they see this picture.  These kids need help to prevent a sick personality from developing.  In addition to serious attempts to stop bullying, perhaps referrals to Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Boys and Girls Clubs, or other organizations can intervene to get a kid back on track.  Most important, something needs to be done to stop this cycle from happening.   

Specific to other criminals.  Again in most cases, poverty is the basis for crime and lack of marketable job skills is a ticket to poverty.  Public Schools have a job to do to make sure kids graduate with marketable job skills so more vocational education is needed  Since most violent crimes happen in our inner cities, there does need to be Criminal Profiling.  Black on Black crime is the single biggest reason for murders in our inners cities and much of it is gang and drug related.  Cops need to go undercover to identify those most likely to commit these murders and make sure they do not have illegal guns.  Those with criminal records are most likely to commit more crimes so more surveillance of them is needed.   Of course, in all cases Constitutional rights must be protected; but without effective intervention, we are likely to see more Mass Shootings and more murders in our inner cities.