"Langman offers a paradigm of three specific categories of youth offenders--psychopathic, psychotic, or traumatized. . . Langman fully discusses long-term exposure to violence, genetic predisposition to violence, recurrent alienation from mainstream society, depression, narcissism, and lack of empathy, as well as improperly challenged and constrained rage in the context of these three categories . . . He also looks at cases of youth who are not as notorious and whose intent to kill others was thwarted, and ends with lessons that can be learned from these and other cases. In addition, Langman presents research that informs current practice with disconnected, enraged youth. Langman believes that school shootings can be prevented, and his analysis offers reflections on how prevention can occur. A vital, phenomenal, extremely valuable work. Summing up: Essential. all levels / libraries." -- D.E. Kelly, Adelphi University, CHOICE (Sept. 2009)

“Peter Langman’s book Why Kids Kill: Inside the Minds of School Shooters is a highly readable, engaging text that analyzes 10 school shooters, outlines a typology that classifies school shooters into three distinct categories, uses the author’s personal experience in assessing potential school shooters, and outlines practical lessons from foiled and actual attacks…The author’s extensive review of law enforcement records, clinical insight from his own professional work, and ability to clearly organize all of the information have resulted in a well-written book that is long overdue.”--Brandon Robbins, Contemporary Psychology: APA Review of Books

“The result of his decade-long inquiry…plumbs the interior lives of 10 notorious school shooters—including Columbine killers Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold and Virginia Tech gunman Seung-Hui Cho—to draw conclusions about what set them off.”—Michael Rubinkam, The New York Times

“A thorough analysis of recent school shootings and a helpful prescription for prevention geared to readers outside the psychiatric profession.”—Library Journal

“Mr. Langman, who is the clinical director of KidsPeace, an Orefield, Pa.-based charity that provides mental-health services for children and teenagers in 11 states, draws 10 lessons for parents and educators from his studies of school shootings across the United States.”-- Debra Viadero, Education Week

Dr. Langman …clearly identifies the enormity of the feelings of isolation and meaninglessness that plagued these children.  Shows what we can do to make schools safe and  homes friendly and child focused.  Perhaps his greatest contribution is to point out that hyper reactive child exist in a social context that if it is not empathic and helpful can perhaps trigger the calamites he describes. -- Stuart Twemblow, author of Why School Anti Bullying Programs Don’t Work