When good kids kill

by Michael D. Kelleher

“In recent years, the incidence of violent crime committed by teenagers has escalated, a fact that has hardly escaped the attention of the news media. WHEN GOOD KIDS KILL is the first book to focus exclusively on homicides committed by previously nonviolent teens, exploring many of the prominent criminal cases covered recently by the media. Kelleher states that some of the most atrocious murders are, in fact, committed by “good kids” who have never given a prior indication of violence. Although individual killings are hard to predict, this important new work points out that many of these young killers share similar backgrounds and experiences, and often exhibit warning signs before erupting into violence. By recognizing these warnings and understanding patterns of experience that can motivate these tragic crimes, the author believes that parents, counselors, and education and law enforcement professionals can begin to address the challenge of increasing teenage violence and ensure a le