> "If you are a young person living in an environment where violence is frequent and random, the willingness to meet any hint of violence with yet more violence

> "If you are a young person living in an environment where violence is frequent and random, the willingness to meet any hint of violence with yet more violence is a shield." Bingo. It's an entirely natural reaction to a violent environment. It's not the cause of the environment though, any more than GIs brawling during R&R caused the Vietnam War.