What Is Known About Why Steven Kazmierczak Killed Fellow Students

Reviewing the emerging information about StevenDisorders of violent and other harmful interpersonal
Kazmierczak, it became clear that he had some ofbehaviors are a separate class of disorders from
the warning signs seen in other violent offenders. It istraditional Axis I, Major Mental Illness, such as
reported that he was controlling and abusive with hisSchizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder. Persons with
long time girl friend; had been treated as an inpatientinterpersonal behaviors that bring harm to others are
for a mental illness and had been determined to be amore likely to have an Axis II or Personality Disorder
danger to himself; had self-mutilating behaviors; hadas an adult and/or a trauma history as a child. Children
become fascinated with guns; had stopped hisand teens have more easily identified histories of
medication and was acting erratically; had tattoosabuse, neglect, brain injury or disease, and/or
with violent themes; was discharged from the militaryexposure to violence in childhood. The first step to
possibly for psychological reasons; and had areducing tragic acts of violence lie in protecting
"troubled childhood." The fact that he was pleasantchildren from abuse, neglect, and exposure to
and charming had no bearing on whether he had theviolence. Children repeat what they see and what
potential to be dangerous, but made people aroundthey experience. If they grow up in violence and
him feel that he posed no threat to them. Contraryabuse, that will be their model of how to treat
to popular belief, many violent people are quiteothers. Doing more to protect this group of children is
charming. A prime example of that is Ted Bundy,a very good start at solving one part of the problem.
who was quite charming. Killers can also be veryIn addition to brain malfunction, it is the complex
intelligent and educated. Ted Kaczynski, thecombination of many risk and few resiliency factors
unibomber, was a brilliant scholar who was known forthat culminates in violent behavior. Many of the risk
his mathematical accomplishments. So what makesfactors, such as skill deficits, lack of school success
people violent?and lack of association with pro-social peers in
Violence is a result of a malfunction in the brain.pro-social activities can be changed. We need to look
There are several possible sources of brain disorders,at all of the risk and resiliency factors and change an
immaturity, or malfunction: brain injury, disease,individual's balance from negative to positive to
defect, or immature brain development due toprevent future violence.
childhood abuse, neglect, or exposure to violence.Additionally, the knowledge to assess for risk of
The solution to preventing some portion of tragicviolence, while not perfect, is very good and can be
events such as the NIU and Blacksburg, lie inused to ensure that "at risk persons" receive the
preventing the above sources of brain immaturity ortreatment they need to prevent future violence. This
malfunction.is easier and more effective with children and teens
While this idea may not be popular because itthan adults. Use of what is known and continued
appears to provide an excuse for the behavior offocus and research on this problem is essential. We
people who have committed heinous acts, it alsoknow some of the answers and we will continue to
does not serve us well to put our heads in the sand.work until we know more. However, this means
While dangerous people must be kept apart fromputting money into mental health and substance
their potential victims, we must do what we can toabuse treatment, social services, as well as juvenile
identify and treat the sources of violence long beforejustice, and wellness and prevention programs.
a terrible act occurs.