ORANGE TAYLOR III during trial.
On April 7, 22-year-old Orange Taylor III was found guilty of first-degree murder in the rape and strangling of Laura Dickinson at Eastern Michigan University on Dec. 16, 2006. On April 9, 2008, 18-year-old Alexander Letkemann gave a grisly account of the horrific scene that played out on Nov. 7, 2007 when 26-year-old Daniel Sorenson was savagely killed in the garage of a Canton home. And who can forget the group of wily third graders who plotted and appeared to have every intention of killing their teacher.

What has the world come to when kids view the sanctity of life with little more than a passing thought? Have our young people gone mad? We have ask ourselves what are the internal or external forces that are planting these toxic seeds of violence in the minds of young people and to what extent should parents be held accountable? Is it fitting to say that the level of desensitization has increased among children and teenagers?

In the Sorenson case, Letkemann testified that after his accused partner in crime, Jean Pierre, aka JP, Orlewicz, removed the victim’s head, he then held it up and “moved the jaw up and down saying, ‘How’s it going, Alex?’” in mockery of the deceased. In the case of Laura Dickinson, Orange Taylor admitted to masturbating over Dickinson’s dead body but denied any involvement with the murder. Meanwhile police in Georgia collected a slew of would-be weapons, which included a broken steak knife, handcuffs, duct, electrical and clear tape, and a crystal paperweight, from a group of 8- and 9-year-olds who were angry at their teacher for scolding them.

Are these issues directly related to mental illness or are they more clearly characterized by a blatant disregard for life? “There are many risk factors that contribute to violence in our community such as past violent victimization, lack of social supports and untreated substance abuse,” Dr. Michele Reid, medical director of Detroit-Wayne County Community Mental Health Agency, explained. “The vast majority of Americans believe that persons with mental illnesses pose a threat for violence toward others and themselves. In reality, people have little reason for such fears. The magnitude of the relationship between mental illness and violence is greatly exaggerated in the minds of the general population. This link is often promoted by the entertainment and news industries.”

While television and media obviously play a role in these situations, the bigger question is what can be done to circumvent the negative affects? What can parents do to recognize and effectively deal with signs that their child may have violent tendencies?

According to APA Help Center online, statistics show that by the early 1990’s the incidence of violence caused by young people reached unparalleled levels in the American society. It was cited that 1 in 12 high schoolers is threatened or injured with a weapon each year and that children between the ages of 12 and 24 face the highest risk of being victims of violence.

Some very pertinent warning signs of violent behavior include withdrawal, daily loss of temper, frequent physical altercations, significant acts of vandalism or property damage, increased risk-taking behavior, detailed plans to commit acts of violence, announced plans or threats to hurt others, hurting animals or carrying weapons.

Though there is no sure-fire way to predict or prevent violent behavior, there are steps that can be taken to reduce the stressors on children and the risks of youth violence. According to www.schoolsecurity.com some of these include: 1) establishing ongoing, sincere, and trusting relationships with youth built on regular communication, 2) being sensitive to stressors and providing timely intervention support, 3) being alert for and promptly responding to the previously mentioned warning signs.

A serious call to action is in order. For more information ways to prevent violence committed by and against young people visit www.safeyouth.org.