Open Access“This can’t happen here!” Community Reactions to School Shootings in Finland
Author(s) -
Atte Oksanen,
Pekka Räsänen,
Johanurmi,
Kauri Lindström
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
research on finnish society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2490-0958
pISSN - 1796-8739
DOI - 10.51815/fjsr.110697
Subject(s) - welfare , criminology , political science , gun violence , media coverage , suicide prevention , poison control , sociology , media studies , medicine , environmental health , law
The recent school shootings in Jokela and in Kauhajoki received immediate worldwide media coverage on mass violence in a welfare society. This article examines community response to these incidents. We have gathered comparable survey data from the local communities Jokela (N=330) and Kauhajoki (N=319). Both surveys were conducted approximately six months after the shootings, and they represent local adult populations. With these data, we analyse the reactions of local residents to the shootings. We focus on questions such as whether the shootings were considered isolated tragedies or not, and whether they could have been prevented or not. The article considers what implications these recent critical incidents may have for Finland as a Nordic welfare society.