Criminal Court Case Processing of American School Shooters

This study examines how the criminal justice system processes juvenile school shooters, highlighting racial and ethnic disparities in their court processing experiences. Using data from The American School Shooting Study, we analyzed 189 juvenile (aged 6 to 17) school shooters’ court processing experiences, including arrest, prosecution, adjudication, and sentencing characteristics. Most were formally charged (n = 169), prosecuted in adult court (n = 121), and given custodial sentences (n = 120). Juveniles across all racial backgrounds frequently faced punitive charges, though Black defendants were over and underrepresented in receiving harsher and less punitive outcomes, highlighting the complexity of racial disparities in court outcomes. These findings suggest the criminal justice system may handle school shooters differently than other juvenile offenders, underscoring the need for further research.

(Publisher abstract provided.)