Q&A

Charles Patrick Ewing, law professor, adjunct professor of psychology and a forensic psychologist, in 1990 published the book "Kids Who Kill." He often is called as an expert witness based on his study and expertise in the field of intrafamilial homicide.

People initially were shocked that the tragic shooting in Jonesboro, Ark. apparently was planned and carried out by boys 11 and 13. Should they be?

It's no longer shocking to hear of children killing, but the particulars of this case are especially troubling. Not only were the boys younger than most juvenile killers, but unlike most juvenile homicides, their crimes appear to have been premeditated, if not cold-blooded. Finally, and most significant to me, is the number of victims. Until the recent spate of school shootings in the South, juvenile mass murder was a phenomenon virtually unheard of in the country.

At what age should a child be able to discern the difference between "child's play" and murder?

Cognitively, children are capable of understanding this distinction at a very early age, in most cases by the age of 7 or so. But cognitive understanding is not the whole story. Even many teen-agers do not fully appreciate the finality of death or the true consequences of homicidal actions.

At what age is a child mature and responsible enough to use a firearm?

In most states, a person cannot obtain a driver's license until 16, vote until 18 or drink legally until 21. Certainly the maturity and judgment necessary to safely handle a firearm is greater that that needed for any of these other age-regulated activities. Put most simply: the possession and use of firearms ought to be reserved for adults.

The two boys involved say they didn't mean to hurt anyone. How do kids get into these situations?

I have heard the same thing from many of the juvenile killers I have examined. Often what starts out as a fantasy-or at most a plan to threaten or scare someone-turns into a murder because kids get carried away with the power they experience when they point a gun at another person. Also, in many cases where there are two or more perpetrators, kids egg each other on, pushing fantasy toward reality, until someone ends up dead. Finally, some juvenile killings are "accidental" in the sense that the perpetrator really did not intend to hurt anyone, but mishandled a firearm.

Who's to blame for the Jonesboro tragedy?

There is more than enough blame to go around. Certainly lax gun control laws that make it easy for children to obtain firearms played a major role. But so did the entertainment media, which glorifies and glamorizes violence and rarely, if ever, shows kids its awful consequences. In the end, I would also suspect that the family and other social institutions (including schools, churches and community) could be indicted for not teaching these youngsters the sanctity of human life.

How do you think these two boys should be punished?

Like it or not, under our system of justice, unless tried as adults, juvenile offenders-even the worst-are to be rehabilitated and not punished. I believe that remains a good philosophy. Without knowing more about these boys, I can't say how likely they are to be rehabilitated by the time they turn 18, but I think it is worth trying. One thing I can say for sure is that if they were sent to prison, there would be virtually no chance of rehabilitation. It's worth pointing out that in New York, as well as many other states, children as young as 13 may be tried as adults for murder and, if convicted, sentenced to lengthy prison terms. In New York, for example, the maximum term a 13-year-old murderer can receive is 9 years to life in prison.

Do you think these children can ever grow up to lead "normal" adult lives?

"Normal?" I doubt it, but whatever adjustment they do make will depend largely upon how they are treated by the system. Unfortunately, all too often, the juvenile-justice system does more harm than good. We seem to be much better at making criminals of all ages worse instead of better.

How can we prevent senseless tragedies like Jonesboro?

There are no simple answers to preventing juvenile murder. There are several things that would help, but they are much easier said than done. First, stop child abuse. In my view, child abuse is the number one general cause of juvenile violence and homicide. Second, keep guns out of the hands of children and adolescents. Third, limit children's access to media portrayals of violence or at least temper that exposure by making sure that violence in the media is portrayed for what it really is: an aberration that destroys both its victims and its perpetrators. Finally, teach our children and the children of others the ultimate value of human life.

How did you become interested in the subject of kids who kill?

Before attending law school, I trained and practiced as a child and family psychologist and worked primarily with violent, abusive and seriously dysfunctional children and parents. When I became a forensic psychologist, many of my first cases dealt with women and children who killed their abusers. Soon it became clear to me that most youthful killers, not just those who killed family member, had been victims of abuse. That sparked my interest in juvenile homicide, generally, and led to what has become 15 years of research, writing and practice related to "kids who kill."