And although Southern Illinois has not had severe problems with school violence, nearby West Paducah, Ky., suffered the experience when three people were killed and five wounded at Heath High School in 1997. Teen-agers commit the largest portion of all violent crime in America, according to the National Center for Policy Analysis. Everyone wants to know what causes these problems in childhood. There is not one single thing that can be blamed for it, DiLalla said. DiLalla said one main reason adolescents are prone to violence is because of the numerous changes affecting their lives.
Peers are more important.
Family is less important. The media are often blamed for desensitizing children to violence, but DiLalla said while movies and television do influence youth, dealing with strong emotions is what can cause incidents of violence. For example, when experiencing feelings of rage and fear, a teenager may not know how to respond or release those feelings. If the person has access to a gun or other weapon, it may be easier for him or her to find a dangerous outlet. Because the town of Carbondale consists of only about 27,000 people, there may be less loss of identity for students than in a metropolitan area, DiLalla said.