A St. Lawrence graduate who's an expert on the effects of violence on children is
making the rounds of the television talk shows, discussing his new book that argues
that parents are responsible -- but not to blame -- for the violent behavior of
their children.
James Garbarino '68 is a psychologist at Cornell University and the co-author of
Parents Under Siege: Why You Are The Solution, Not The Problem, In Your Child's Life,
published in September 2001. He has made recent appearances on "Today," "Dateline" and
Fox News, among other shows, discussing cases of violent behavior by children, including
the Columbine High School schootings.
Publishers Weekly says of the book, "The authors combine research and interviews
with statistical analysis to present a startling picture of the changing culture of
parenting in America. They offer the consolation that parents are not to blame when
things go wrong, and provide some advice on how to intervene early enough to make a
difference. Reaching no easy answers, the authors show how the interplay of personal
temperament, family involvement and social pressures can create a recipe for
children to become unhinged, secretive, disengaged and possibly violent."
The "Today Show" web
site includes an excerpt from the book.