Case Report: University of Idaho Incident and its Intersection with Sustainable Development Goals

Incident Summary

On November 13, 2022, four University of Idaho students were found deceased in an off-campus residence. The incident represents a significant challenge to community safety and highlights critical intersections with global development objectives.

Victim Profiles

• Kaylee Goncalves, 21
• Madison Mogen, 21
• Xana Kernodle, 20
• Ethan Chapin, 20

Analysis in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The event underscores the fragility of progress toward several key SDGs and the foundational importance of safety and security for sustainable development.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

This goal is central to the incident, which constitutes a severe breach of peace and personal security. The subsequent legal proceedings are a direct reflection of the need for effective and just institutions to address violence and ensure accountability.

• The loss of life fundamentally undermines the target of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies.
• The case tests the capacity of justice systems to provide resolution and uphold the rule of law.

SDG 4: Quality Education

The victims were actively engaged in higher education, and their untimely deaths represent a profound loss of human potential and a disruption to the educational community. Ensuring safe environments is a prerequisite for achieving quality education.

1. Kaylee Goncalves: Senior, General Studies, College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences.
2. Madison Mogen: Senior, Marketing.
3. Xana Kernodle: Junior, Marketing.
4. Ethan Chapin: Junior, Recreation, Sport and Tourism Management.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The incident is a direct contravention of the goal to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being. The loss of four young lives and the resulting psychological trauma to the community, friends, and family have significant public health implications.

SDG 5: Gender Equality

With three of the four victims being young women, this case highlights the vulnerability of women to violence, a key barrier to achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

The victims were on the verge of entering the workforce, and their deaths signify a loss of future contributions to economic growth. Their career aspirations reflect the human capital potential that was abruptly extinguished.

• Kaylee Goncalves had secured a post-graduation job in marketing in Austin, Texas.
• Madison Mogen was pursuing a degree in marketing and planned to move to Boise.
• Xana Kernodle was also studying marketing.
• Ethan Chapin was majoring in recreation, sport, and tourism management.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  This goal aims to “promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.” The article, which details the violent deaths of four university students, directly relates to the core themes of this SDG, specifically the aspects concerning violence, safety, and the subsequent need for justice.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.

  The article’s entire focus is on the homicides of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. This event is a direct example of the “related death rates” from violence that this target seeks to reduce. The article describes a failure to protect individuals from lethal violence.

• Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.

  While the article does not detail the police investigation or legal proceedings, a quadruple homicide is a severe crime that necessitates a response from the justice system. The event described inherently triggers the mechanisms of the rule of law, from law enforcement to the judicial system, which are central to this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for Target 16.1:

  The official indicator is 16.1.1: Number of victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population, by sex and age. The article provides the raw data that would contribute to this indicator. It explicitly names four victims of intentional homicide and provides their ages (20 and 21) and sex (three female, one male), which are the exact data points used for this metric.

• Indicator for Target 16.3:

  The article does not contain any information that could be used as an indicator for this target. Indicators for Target 16.3 often measure things like the proportion of the population that has experienced a dispute and accessed a formal resolution mechanism or rates of unsentenced detainees. The article focuses solely on the victims and the crime itself, not the subsequent justice process.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: eonline.com