Responding to the Public - Steven Kazmierczak - Essay Example

Responding to the Public 2 The Incident 2 The Hidden Factors 3 The Response of the Medical Community 4 The Aftermath 5 Conclusion 5 Bibliography 7 Abstract Incidents of public violence in the United States has become ever more commonplace in recent years. Gang related shootings, disgruntled employees, and more troublesome, violence on high school grounds and university campus' (Nelson, 2008). Such occurrences represent circumstances whereby companies and facilities must react and respond to the incidents to disseminate information as well as provide information to inform and calm the public in as much as such is possible. This study shall report on one such incident looking at how the facility responded, ascertaining if a response was necessary, and the purposes and or messages the response was designed to convey, along with the related facets attached to the foregoing, was the incident a negative reflection on the facility, the incident's outcome, and to reach a determination if things might have been handled differently in the face of the foregoing. The Incident On the 14th of February 2008 a gunman shot twenty-four people on the campus of Northern Illinois University that is located in Dekalb, Illinois, wounding eighteen and killing six (The Evening Standard, 2008). Descriptions of the event recounted the gunman, who was later identified as Steven Kazmierczak, 27, stepped out from behind a curtain in the large lecture hall, and opened fire then turning the weapon on himself, committing suicide (Western Mail, 2008). Later identified as a former student at the university, police were not able to ascertain a motive for the shootings, citing that Kazmierczak was taking some type of medication and was reported by friends and neighbours as acting increasingly erratic during the weeks leading up to the incident (Western Mail, 2008). Further puzzling is that he did not have any type of police record (Western Mail, 2008). Reported as an outstanding student when he attended the university, it was found that Kazmierczak has been treated temporarily for mental illness as a result of unruly behaviour toward his parents in his early teens (Daily Post, 2008). Prior to this tragic event, the university had not have any type of violent incidents, not even student riots or unrest, as Northern Illinois University is located in a quiet small Midwestern town. The Hidden Factors Later investigation turned up that Steven Kazmierczak indeed had a secret life that hide his good student and known public behaviour opinions (The Huffington Post, 2009). In the late 1990s Kazmierczak spent in excess of "a year at the Thresholds-Maryhill House ", which was "an alternative high school program for children suffering from mental illness" (The Huffington Post, 2009). The foregoing was a result of unruly behaviour, and he was admitted by his parents. Kazmierczak's condition, which Dr. Jay Rice (2008) describes as abandonment that could have its causes in the following events "1. He may have felt abandoned by his parents for placing him in treatment at Thresholds, 2. He may have felt abandoned by the illness of his mother and her death from ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease in 2006, 3. He may have felt abandoned by the death of an older sister to cancer, 4. He may have felt abandoned by his discharge from the Army for psychological reasons after volunteering following 911, 5. He may have felt that he would be abandoned by his professors and peers if they had discovered his dissocial disorder and tattoos on his body. 6. He may have felt abandoned with his relationship with his girlfriend" (Rice, 2008). While none of the preceding has been singled out as the cause, Rice (2008) states that the fact these events took place represent underpinnings that very well could have caused his issues that led to the shootings. More importantly, Rice (2008) states that Kazmierczak "m ay have felt abandoned by the University for not seeing the depth of his pain and suffering for four years". In presenting this as a potential cause, Rice (2008) brings forth the theory that Kazmierczak was in a university of 25,000 students and might have secretly desired someone to out smart him and uncover his illness or issues to help him. The Response of the Medical Community The medical community is divided on the course of action that should have transpired in Kazmierczak's treatment as his diagnosis was behaviourally troubled and he was prescribed medication (abclocal.go.com, 2008). That represented the first phase of the problem in that he did not abide by the prescription regime. Members of the mental facility Thresholds prescribed antidepressant and anti-anxiety pills, including Paxil as well as Prozac, but Kazmierczak's sporadic adherence to keeping up with the dictates of his medication was found to most likely have been the cause of the instability that triggered the violent episode which was brought on by some other manifestation (Booman Tribune, 2008). His former girlfriend stated he stopped taking Prozac as it " made him feel like a zombie ", but, none of the treatment facilities could find any record of him complaining of this situation directly to them (Booman Tribune, 2008). In response to the forgoing, after the fact, Dr. Joan Anzia, who is " an aassociate professor of psychiatry at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine " and was not one of Kazmierczak's doctors, stated that taking Prozac, or for that matter any type of mood altering medication takes time to get used to and that "Some people are more sensitive to it than others" (Booman Tribune, 2008). The Aftermath The mental illness condition of Kazmierczak, in reflection, and based upon delving into this facet of his life, surfaced as the possible explanation for the events that transpired at Cole Hall. This presents a daunting issue and problem as Kazmierczak was 27, far beyond the legal age limit, thus his parents could not be held responsible for his taking his medication, with the same being true for the medical establishment. At the time of the incident, the mental health treatment laws in Illinois stated that someone needed "to be an actual physical danger to themselves or others before they can be court-ordered into mental illness treatment" (psychlaws.org, 2007). Given the preceding, no one but Kazmierczak could be held accountable for what happened on that fateful day. However, the even did cause the state to review its policy in this area just five months later as it passed a new provision to the mental health law that loosened the "strict standard to allow earlier intervention for people with incapacitating symptoms of illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder" (psychlaws.org, 2007). This development does not mean that the system would have caught or stopped Kazmierczak, as he would have had to meet the above self or others harmful precepts. But, it does strengthen the statutes to the point whereby a person with Kazmierczak's long history would have received greater attention, thereby heightening the possibility that the system could have been of more assistance in keeping him tied into the system to take his medication. Conclusion This study has been an exercise in looking for answers. Thus, who is to blame, as we have a system of government and laws that guarantee us privacy and anti-discrimination that in this case prevented underlying issues in Kazmierczak's life from exposure. This is the system we have elected to live under for ourselves, which has its benefits, and risks, thus potentially opting to make our private lives public, would intrude upon our freedom, which in America, would not happen. The investigation into Kazmierczak life uncovered mental issues that seemingly were not resolved (Cohen and St. Clair, 2008). The university was not aware of his past history, not could it be unless Kazmierczak made it so, as the Mental Health law in Illinois states under Section 2-107.1 that "No information shall be disclosed unless the recipient consents in writing to the disclosure" (psychlaws.org, 2005). In hindsight, therein lies the problem. Once Kazmierczak can of age, and his mental condition was not deemed as being debilitating, the power over disclosure rested in his hands, and not of his parents, or the state (psychlaws.org, 2005). Had the university known, it might have been possible to avoid this tragic event. Had Kazmierczak's parent informed the university, the situation might have been avoided. The United States Army under the "Privacy Act forbids the Army from characterizing the reason for Kazmierczak's discharge" (Cuomo et al, 2008). The new Illinois mental health law provision goes a long way in closing a loophole in the treatment of the mentally ill whereby those with a long history are handled differently than before the Kazmierczak incident. Specifically, the new law states (psychlaws.org, 2007): " because of the nature of his or her illness, is unable to understand his or her need for treatment and who, if not treated, is at risk of suffering orcontinuing to suffer mental deterioration or emotional deterioration, or both, to the point that the person is at risk of engaging in dangerous conduct. (whereby) Dangerous conduct means threatening behavior or conduct that places another individual in reasonable expectation of being harmed, or a person's inability to provide, without the assistance of family or outside help, for his or her basic physical needs so as to guard himself or herself from serious harm." At the time of the Cole Hall incident, no one but Kazmierczak could be held accountable, however this has all changed with the enactment of the new provisions. Thus, time will time if the new legislation and its application will work in the manner intended. Bibliography abclocal.go.com (2008) Gunman, ex-honour student treated for mental illness. Retrieved on 1 April 2008 from http://abclocal.go.com/wls/storysection=news/local&id=5959663 Booman Tribune (2008) Prazac, Kazmierczak, 200,000 hospitalizations a year. Retrieved on 1 April 2008 from http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2008/2/19/154511/398 Cohen, J., St. Clair, S. (2008) Emotional struggles. Retrieved on 1 April 2009 from http://mentalhopenews.blogspot.com/2008/04/emotional-struggles-detailed-in-essays.html Cuomo, C., Pinto, B., Sterns, O. (2008) NIU Killer Left Valentine's Day Note. 18 February. ABC News Daily Post (2008) University Rampage Gunman Mystery. 16 February. Daily Post. Liverpool, England Nelson, M. (2008) Peace-Church Colleges Wrestle with Having Armed Guards. 1 July. Vol. 125. The Christian Century psychlaws.org (2007) Gov. Blagojevich signs bill improving Illinois' mental illness treatment law. Retrieved on 1 April 2009 from http://www.psychlaws.org/PressRoom/IllinoisLaw.htm psychlaws.org (2005) Illinois Statutes. Retrieved on 1 April 299 from http://www.psychlaws.org/LegalResources/StateLaws/Illinoisstatute.htm Rice, J. (2008) Steve Kazmierczak: The Hidden Abandonment Issues of a Mass Murder. Retrieved on 1 April 2009 from https://www.itsallaboutabandonment.com/Steven_Kazmierczak-NIU.html The Evening Standard (2008) Four Girls Die In Valentine's Day Massacre; Victim: Student Maria Santana, Left, Was among the Wounded Taken from Northern Illinois University after the Atrocity Fear Student Andy Brennand from Leeds Described the Panic as People Ran for Their Lives and, Right, a Policeman Stands Guard at the Bullet-Shattered Entrance to Cole Hall. 15 February. The Evening Standard The Huffington Post (2008) Steve Kazmierczak: the secret life. 16 February 2009. The Huffington Post. Liverpool, United Kingdom Western Mail (2008) Mystery over University Campus Gun Rampage; Student Opened Fire in Lecture Hall, Killing Five before Shooting Himself. 16 February. Western Mail. Cardiff, Wales Read More