Youth warning violence signs

[LeeC]

From: http://safeyouth.org/scripts/faq/yvwarning.asp

Past violent or aggressive behavior (including uncontrollable angry outbursts)

Access to weapons

Bringing a weapon to school

Past suicide attempts or threats

Family history of violent behavior or suicide attempts

Blaming others and/or unwilling to accept responsibility for one's own actions

Recent experience of humiliation, shame, loss, or rejection

Bullying or intimidating peers or younger children

a pattern of threats

Being a victim of abuse or neglect (physical, sexual, or emotional)

Witnessing abuse or violence in the home

Themes of death or depression repeatedly evident in conversation, written expressions, reading selections, or artwork

Preoccupation with themes and acts of violence in TV shows, movies, music, magazines, comics, books, video games, and Internet sites

Mental illness, such as depression, mania, psychosis, or bipolar disorder
use of alcohol or illicit drugs

Disciplinary problems at school or in the community (delinquent behavior)

Past destruction of property or vandalism

Cruelty to animals

Firesetting behavior

Poor peer relationships and/or social isolation

Involvement with cults or gangs.

Little or no supervision or support from parents or other caring adult[1]

Typically, the greater the number of these warning signs present, the greater the risk. It is important to realize, however, that many children exhibit these warning signs and never resort to violence. Even so, these signs can be a cue that something is wrong, and the individual needs help.

[308WIN]

Noted, but do they ever make a distinction that the existence of one or two of those criteria are completely normal? Some of the criteria are somewhat vague.


ETA...I'm not arguing with you or saying you're wrong in any way. I'm just saying....
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كافر

9/11/01 Never forget those who died. Never forget those who killed them.

[LeeC]

[308WIN]

Agreed. I just get a little miffed lately (when I say lately, I'm talking the last few years) that particularly in the "ed" world (more like "touchy feely bubble") that the existence of even ONE of those criteria are consideration for alarm/flagging/counseling etc. A few of them are very common to most kids, if not all at one time or another.

When I say some of them are vague, I guess what I mean is that they are subjective. For instance...

Recent experience of humiliation, shame, loss, or rejection Who determines what "recent" is. Some kids it might be a couple hours or days ago. For some it might be years (holding a grudge etc)

Being a victim of abuse or neglect (physical, sexual, or emotional)
Even though they'd never admit it some gaggle of school counselors and psychologists high up in their ivory towers do not define what "abuse or neglect" constitute. The victim does.
Not only that, but let's face it, kids can be BRUTAL to each other and emotional abuse is a daily factor for MANY kids in school.

Blaming others and/or unwilling to accept responsibility for one's own actions
I mean really. What kid hasn't done this at some point in his life? Anyone who says they never did is full o' poop.


Other than that I agree with most of them. BUT I'm not too hip on many of these "benevolent" organizations that are for the "good of the public". For example, one of their "partners" is The Center for Gun Policy and Research at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. I've read some of their studies and "fact sheets" and some of them have so many inaccuracies in them (no doubt politically motivated..I mean I thought the brainiacs at Hopkins were supposed to be schmart?) that it would be comical if it wasn't so infuriating.
_________________
كافر

9/11/01 Never forget those who died. Never forget those who killed them.

[pfrank]

Furthermore, there's nothing wrong with a little firesetting: the child is a potential trumpet player.
Cults? HA! There are cults and Cults, and they are social outlets. If only the kid had "found" the "truth about life, the universe and everything" cult...
As to drugs, I am reminded of thet song "And then I got high"... as in: I was gonna blow away a bunch of people, and then I got high...
If only.

[trumpet_bob_silver]

I had a student who was definitely a little off -- mentally, beady eyed devious kid, working against the group, the kind of kid who really needs to be involved in a group but you don't fee like you want to be around him. He mentioned wanting to injure me, the teacher, and the students. I told the principal and brought it up with the parents.

The result? I get in trouble basically. The principal wasn't happy that I brought it up and the parents were insulted. I don't teach the kid anymore (whew!) but if I hear he shots someone in a few years, I won't be surprised.


And is it always males? All the students I have had who have been "more likely to attack you" have been male. Has there ever been a female shooter at a school?

[308WIN]

[pfrank]

I wasn't making fun! I was (jokingly) serious. I often speak out against the stigmatization practices of the therapy community (just as They do often)(Nothing is black and white except things that are like coal and freshly fallen snow). I set a few fires as a kid and consider it healthy, and I drew hundreds of pictures of weapons (usually copied from drawings of middle ages weapons) and space ships and battle cruisers...I was a boy...and outgrew those outlets by 13 when trumpet became my focus...later, girls...
And I was serious in saying that that insanely angry young man would have been better off "self-medicating" than taking a SSRI that probably increased his rage. A gf would have helped too, but he really couldn't get to first base on that one.
I nice "liberal" institution Would have "embrased" this boy instead of letting him fester silently.

[LeeC]

I don't think pfrank meant any trouble with his remarks.

Granted the sensitivity of the public could make jokes like that a little touchy area. However I've been making crass jokes about matters similar for years.

Both my kids are honor students.

The girl: A sophomore Pre Med major at the most prestigious University in CA.

My son? Plays lead trumpet in the High School jazz band. Gonna go see him blow tonite in fact. A senior, he's been accepted to several highly regarded four year schools already.

I couldn't have done better than receiving the gift of my two flesh & blood children. Never one instance of them every getting into trouble.

However that hasn't stopped the crazy old man from making some humorous remarks over the years. Like when I was invited to meet with the boy's Middle School principal in advance of my child's receiving an accomodation for scholastic excellence.

I walk into the pricipals office and he says how well my son is doing. I reply: "We've been a little concerned as his third quarter marijuana sales having dropped since last year. Think he's been studying too hard. Could you intevene a bit and reduce his workload? The family really needs the extra cash".

The principal got a huge laugh. So did I. My son, however wasn't amused.

[Lolo]

Life's never that clean cut. Never. Call me silly and stupid and naive, but I think that children and teenagers who grow up in a privileged, loving background is just as likely to become the next psychopath as the child who grew up on the dodgy council estate and had to carry a knife to protect themself.
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What you recall are impressions; we have the facts. We called the tune. The secret police of your childhood were older, wiser than you, bigger. Call back the sound of their voices. Boom. Boom. Boom.

[Cornetto]

[308WIN]

[LeeC]

I'm so glad Pfrank learned to like girls. At one time we sat in the same trumpet section.