Educational Administration - General & Miscellaneous, Murder - General & Miscellaneous, Family Abuse & Violence, Sociology - General & Miscellaneous, Education - Philosophy & Social Aspects, School Violence, Crime Prevention

Jack and Jill: Why They Kill

Name: Jack and Jill: Why They Kill
Author: James E. Shaw
ISBN: 9781892714084

by James E. Shaw

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Overview

Why are we losing a classroom of children (26) every other day to acts of homicide? Why are many children exploding in rage and "sharing" their pain by shooting their parents and dashing to school to open fire upon crowds of unsuspecting classmates? Why are schools in even remote and affluent communities experiencing the type of shooting tragedies that were once thought to occur only on urban, inner city campuses? And most importantly, what can parents and teachers do to restore peace and sanity to our homes and schools?

Jack and Jill, Why They Kill: Saving Our Children, Saving Ourselves provides the answers to these questions. Dr. James E. Shaw spent four years interviewing more than one hundred children incarcerated in state youth prisons for committing murder and homicide. He uses thirteen of those tragic stories to explain, in the offenders' own voices, why children -- of every color, ethnicity, and social background -- can and do kill. The themes in these 13 case studies are cross-woven against the lives of some of the "new wave" killers at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, and Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon. It is a book that explores what school safety really means and how to achieve it. It is an examination into safe, effective, and successful parenting, and candidly tells parents, among other things, how to raise a violence-free child.

Adolescentcide is the author's coinage to define the phenomenon of children killing children. He gives parents advice, practical strategies and, most of all, hope that adolescentcide can be reduced and eliminated. The life histories of the incarcerated children Shaw interviewed provide numerous proven strategies and abundant parenting tips. Jack & Jill is a significant step forward in what may become the most important national recovery effort we ever undertake -- the saving of our own children.

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Editorials

VOYA

As a child's first teachers, parents must listen to their children to prevent the swell of violence among teens that grows with each passing year. The author distills the trends and commonalties among adolescent murderers, following them up with practical suggestions on how parents can effectively communicate with their teens to prevent tragedy. The book is organized into mini-case studies based on interviews Shaw conducted with 103 incarcerated youths in California. After anecdotes from the thirteen teens profiled, Shaw draws out what readers can do through both actions and words to curtail that behavior in their teenager. Especially effective sections include "Teaching Moral Intelligence," "The Ten-Piece 'Survival Toolkit' Your Child Needs," "Depression: Symptoms and What You Can Do About It," and how to end the bullying experience, whether your teen is the recipient or the perpetrator. The stories are as compelling in their horror as the advice given is sensible and straightforward: "The next time you talk, begin by thanking your children for sharing the information from the last time you talked." One stylistic drawback is Shaw's preachy tone, "Our deliberate disregard for our moral obligation to our children has stranded and blinded them." School guidance counselors and adolescent therapists will find this book a compelling resource guide for parents in distress or those who simply want to reconnect with their teens. In post-Columbine America, all adults should take a serious look at how they engage with the adolescents in their lives. This book offers a perfect first step. Biblio. 2000, Onjinjinkta Publishing, 235p, $19.95. Ages Adult. Reviewer: Beth Gilbert SOURCE:VOYA, February 2002 (Vol. 24, No.6)

Internet Bookwatch

An seminal work of original research and scholarship, Jack & Jill: Why They Kill: Saving Our Children, Saving Ourselves is based on personal interviews by James Show with more than 100 children incarcerated for killing other children. Shaw explores the kid's rationales underlying their homicidal behaviors, then offers practical, insightful advice on how to save the children of today from resorting to lethal violence to settle their disputes, resolve personal conflicts, and establish themselves with peers. Jack & Jill: Why They Kill is essential and critically important reading for parents, juvenile justice system personnel, social workers, community center and youth group volunteers, as well as policy makers, school administrators and faculty, as well as anyone with a responsibility for the youth of their community.