Instead of a headline reading, "A Young Boy was Shot by a Classmate," it would read, "Schoolboy Killed for Sneakers." Ironically enough, an autopsy report would never read, "Cause of Death: Sneakers." The fact remains that blaming does not solve problems. To really evaluate a particular motive behind a crime or violent act, the character and behavior of the person who commits the crime or violent act must be evaluated. Violence may be cause by one's inability to not act on impulse; however, some violent acts are premeditated. A continuous flow of questions arises whenever a crime is committed. Causes of anti-social behavior and motivation behind violence vary and will continue to be debated, but anger, fantasy, and instability will always be key players in violent behavior.
Acting hostile or harmful towards society is described as anti-social behavior. Causes for a person to act hostile or harmful lie solely in the character and behavior of the person. Because a person's nature and behavior are shaped by the environment in which the person lives and previous experiences, it can be concluded that family is the main cause of a person's behavior. Therefore, if a child commits a crime the parents are to blame. Neglect and abuse in the home seem to be the main cause of anti-social behavior (Garbarino 481-83). Fortunately for parents, family is only a single part of a person's environment. School, television, games and many more things factor into a person's behavior. Therefore, the "entire village" is responsible for a child's actions, and the "entire village" is responsible for cherishing family values (Shelton 476).
Unfortunately, society does not respect family values. It was not considered "cool" for Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, the two responsible for the Columbine High School killings in Colorado to brag about their "good upbringing." These boys terrorized their classmates and teachers while pretending to play a video game.
