Threats of School Violence in Pennsylvania After Media Coverage of the Columbine High School Massacre

Spencer Kostinsky, Edward O. Bixler, Paul A. Kettl
2001 Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine  
Following the April 20, 1999, massacre at Columbine High School, Littleton, Colo, school administrators, law enforcement officials, and the media reported a rash of successive bomb threats and threats of school violence that were attributed to imitation. Objective: To establish that the clustering of threats of school violence following the Columbine massacre was initiated by imitation. Design: A database of threats of school violence reported to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency,
more » ... risburg, during the 50 days following the Columbine incident was examined to determine the daily frequency of threats. To determine factors that predict the occurrence of these threats, counties and school districts in which threats occurred were noted.
doi:10.1001/archpedi.155.9.994 pmid:11529800 fatcat:l73daxai5ncvhn6h4hn2wzrt5e