Killer Kids. They’re everywhere, or so it seems. Each evening’s news brings us stories of these savage juveniles who appear to kill for sport or simply for the thrill of knowing what it feels like to kill. These kids appear to have no remorse and leave the rest of us confused and terrified. Violent teens are every parent and school’s nightmare, if you believe what you read in the papers and hear on the news. We have all heard the horror stories of younger and younger kids who are picking up weapons andharming or killing others. One of the most horrific of these cases was the shooting in Jonesboro, Arkansas where Andrew Golden and Mitchell Johnson, ages eleven and thirteen, pulled a fire alarm at Westside Middle School and gunned down four girls and one teacher. What is going on in the mind of a child or teen who kills? This is one of the puzzles our society must struggle with if we are to understand how to find a solution to child murderers. Politicians would have us believe that if we can pass new and better laws, we can cut down on juvenile crime. But this is not the case. We must first understand what it is that leads a kid to kill in the first place before we can go on to the next step towards a solution to juvenile violence. Is there a new breed of kids who are bred with a gene for violence or is it today’s society that plays a part in exacerbating the traits these “bad seeds” already have? Many people believe in the bad seed theory, that kids who are violent are just “no darn good” (NDG). I do not believe in the bad seed theory.
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of “The Scarred Heart”
Lurking behind these quiet, unemotional facades, there has to be more brewing than meets the eye.
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As a forensic psychologist who works with violent children, I am currently doing research for a book to understand why certain kids kill. What I have found so far is that there are as many reasons as there are killers, yet at the same time there are similarities in the types of characteristics and motives that all child killers
photo by Christian Lange
Dr. Helen Smith
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share. If you would like to see some information on violent kids as well as learn more about the characteristics of kids who kill, click on information page. If you are between the ages of 10-19 and would like to fill out a survey that will assist me in my research, click on survey. The results of the survey will be posted on my web page after they are calculated.
? Is a forensic psychologist practicing in Knoxville, TN
? Has evaluated over 4000 children, adolescents and adults
? Has written numerous articles on kids who are violent
? Has testified before legislative bodies on violent juveniles
? Is writing a book entitled “The Scarred Heart: Understanding and Identifying Kids Who Kill.” (pre-order your copy here)