FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 2012
Newswise — TALLAHASSEE, Fla. ⎯ In the aftermath of the tragic shootings in Aurora, Colo., Florida State University criminology and grief/counseling experts are available to provide context and analysis.
•Gary Kleck, Florida State’s David J. Bordua Professor of Criminology: (850) 644-7651; [email protected]
Kleck's research interests include gun control, deterrence, crime control and violence.
Some of his recent research has found that higher general gun ownership rates reduce homicide rates, probably because the violence-reducing effects of guns among noncriminal victims and prospective victims outweigh the violence-increasing effects of guns among criminals.
•Dan Mears, Florida State's Mark C. Stafford Professor of Criminology: (850) 644-7376; [email protected]
Mears can discuss mental health, public opinion and other aspects of the Colorado shootings. His research interests include juvenile and criminal justice policy, crime theory, public opinion, "supermax" prisons, mental health, religion, sentencing and reentry.
“In these kinds of events, the typical focus is on, ‘How do we stop these terrible events from happening?’ The unfortunate response typically is, ‘It's so rare that it is close to impossible.’ There are some general tactics one can take, but one will never know if they are effective.”
•Sally Karioth, professor of nursing: (850) 644-6845; [email protected]
Karioth, a nationally renowned grief therapist, teaches a popular course on death and dying in the College of Nursing. She can discuss the trauma of the event and its effect on the victims; the pain and relief of “survivor guilt”; the fact that there is no defense against an insane person who is working alone and no way to stop or prevent the actions of such an individual; and the loss of feeling secure in common places such as a movie theater.
“There is now a controversy in relation to when trauma work should begin. Many practitioners now believe that rather than cement the image in the minds of those who witnessed a trauma, it is better to wait awhile until the image settles some and then do the trauma work rather than immediately following the event.”
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