ABSTRACT
Students who have carried out lethal attacks at their schools have attracted worldwide attention. However, the backgrounds and motives of these youth often do not match typical portrayals. Some fit the common characterization that they are depressed youth who act in retaliation for grievances such as bullying, but many others are delinquent youth with predatory intentions, and a few have serious mental illness with delusional motives. Although there is no psychological profile of a juvenile who commits a school attack, often there are warning signs that make prevention possible. School threat assessment is a promising violence prevention strategy that focuses on identifying angry, distressed, or mentally ill youth at the point where they engage in threatening statements or behavior in order to take supportive and protective actions. Threat assessment also helps school authorities to avoid overreacting to student misbehavior that does not pose a serious threat.
