| A 15 year old with a history of school violence and | | | | these children such as Scott Dyleski and the 15 year |
| school suspensions shot a Wisconsin principal 3 times | | | | old who killed the Wisconsin principal by seeing the |
| and fatally wounded him on September 29, 2006. | | | | signs of trouble and providing appropriate services. It |
| Scott Dyleski, age 16, was given a life sentence on | | | | is clear that suspension did not reduce the Wisconsin |
| September 25, 2006 for the brutal murder of his | | | | student's violence, in fact, it is likely that it escalated |
| neighbor. It was reported that he took pleasure in | | | | the student's rage and violence. |
| the killing and exposed himself to a counselor while in | | | | This week, Duane Morrison molested his female |
| detention. When people ask, "How in the world could | | | | hostages at Platte Canyon High School, killed Emily |
| this have happened?" I say, "These are youth that | | | | Keyes and then turned the gun on himself. He had a |
| could have been saved, if they had been identified | | | | record of petty crimes and was apparently living out |
| and had been given adequate services as early in | | | | of his Jeep. It is unknown if he was actually |
| their lives as possible. | | | | homeless, but it is a question to ask. Is homelessness |
| Reportedly abused and neglected as a child, Scott | | | | a situation that overwhelms vulnerable persons with |
| Dyleski began using a variety of drugs and alcohol at | | | | few coping skills? Is solving the problem of |
| age 10. His family was reported to the department | | | | homelessness one step we can take to lower our |
| of social services for neglect, but the case was | | | | risk of such future atrocities? Can we do better at |
| never investigated and it was closed. His father lived | | | | identifying abused and neglected children who need |
| in a regular house, while he and his mother were | | | | the help of other adults? How do we identify |
| homeless and lived out of doors. (CNN) | | | | aggressive youth and provide them needed services? |
| What went wrong? It is my opinion that the abuse | | | | It will take sufficient financial support for the agencies |
| and neglect that Scott suffered resulted in disrupted | | | | that carry out those tasks. It will also take a |
| attachment patterns (DAP) which led to inappropriate | | | | paradigm shift that allows us to realize that these |
| social relatedness. Some portion of those with DAP | | | | children often need help as young as pre-school. |
| who do not receive corrective developmental | | | | Prevention is a key element in solving these |
| experiences at an appropriate age are at risk of | | | | problems. The CARE: Child and Adolescent Risk |
| committing horrible unfathomable crimes and residing | | | | Evaluation (Seifert, 2003) can identify youth as young |
| in jail cells for the rest of their lives. In Scott's case it | | | | as 4 and the services needed to prevent future |
| was more difficult for him to be exposed to | | | | behavior problems, including violence. The adult |
| corrective developmental experiences while homeless. | | | | version, the RME can identify risk in adults and the |
| We can stop this cycle for at least some portion of | | | | services they need. |