Psychological testing might keep mass murders from ever occurring

Everyone has an opinion about what should be done to stop the many homicides in America and to prevent another shocking horror trail of a mass murderer. In the days following the bizarre shootings by James E. Holmes, our country seeks answers and hopes for future prevention.

Unfortunately, as the weeks go by, concern for victims begins to fade, and as in the past, the country returns to its usual ways. Now is the time to understand and take steps to prevent another terrible catastrophe.

Some people feel that stronger gun laws will be the answer. Many are of the opinion that anyone with a mental condition should never have access to guns.

And some people do not believe anything can be done to prevent another horrific occurrence and that we’re lucky a mass murderer is a rare occurrence in the United States.

Look at the facts. The large majority of people with mental disorders are not violent. Actually, the suicide rate would decrease if the mentally ill did not have access to weapons.

According to a Pew Research report, 49 percent of Americans say it’s more important to protect the rights of gun owners. However, in 2006, more than 30,000 people were killed with firearms in the United States. From 1998 to 2007, more than 300,000 people died from gunshot wounds in this country.

I have always had my own thoughts on prevention of homicide. The tragic situations will keep occurring because no one wants any part of government, a Big Brother, to become involved in the psyche of Americans.

I believe the time has come to take a stronger move to prevent homicide, suicide and mass murder. We must never take the viewpoint that we’re lucky mass murder is a rare occurrence. It is never a minor event to the ones wounded or killed or to their close family and friends.

Every year, through preschool and the next 12 years, including high school, children should have annual psychological tests covering anger, loneliness and social interactions with friends, family, teachers and employers. The exams should continue after high school and involve a one-on-one interaction with a professional. A person could be first in his class and still feel like a failure in social relationships.

If the person being interviewed has withdrawn from friends and has abnormal thoughts, intensive therapy should be undertaken. It is true that many will cover up anger or feelings of failure, and that a mass murderer might still carry out a horrible act, but caring, emotional support is the least society can do to prevent another horrendous loss of life. And, somehow, saving lives and helping people is worth the investment by this country.

In addition to the annual psychological profile, there should be better screening of people who buy guns. Buying a gun should be like obtaining a passport, which requires a waiting period of usually about two months.

Background checks and tighter restrictions on buying ammunition are necessary, and requests to purchase semi-automatic and automatic weapons should be questioned.

Unless individual profiles are recorded, there will be no change, and the killing will go on. Every mass murderer has a different background and personality disorder. If my suggestions save one life, it would easily be worth the personality testing and profiles.

All this will cost lots of money, but it will be money well spent. The lifetime cost to care for the innocent, injured people will easily outpace the cost of annual exams and mental treatments.

Bullets have taken the lives of Presidents Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley and Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr. and Sen. Robert Kennedy. No one should have to fear that a friend or stranger might be about to pull the trigger.

Dr. Milton Friedman can be reached at tcgn@montgomerynews.com.