Mass Shootings in Rural American Schools

Abstract

Although student homicides have remained consistently low over the past decades, highly publicized lethal incidents in American schools have garnered concern among the public. Mass shootings in primary and secondary schools have impacted the fear of victimization and subsequently affected school policies to prevent and control school violence. While school violence is largely viewed as a problem in urban schools, mass shootings have occurred more often in town and rural schools. This chapter examines the nature, prevalence, and incidence of mass shootings and multiple victim violence in rural schools. The chapter includes a review of contributing factors to mass school shootings and examines perceptions and fear of the problem from students and parents. The chapter concludes with threat assessment, and research on prevention and control strategies.