Nature v Nurture

In my book Silent Rage, I detail the life of a young man who grew up in a tough situation. He did not have the resources to cope with the abuse and neglect he faced and ultimately became a killer. He is a fictitious example of the kind of life many adolescents are experiencing. My character didn’t have any resources such as mental health counseling. Perhaps if he did he would not have ended up choosing a life of crime.

I’ve taught lots of students from all walks of life. Those kids who didn’t have a good support system at home are usually the ones I see on mugshots. I’m sure you could ask any teacher and he/she can point out students they believe will end up in a life of crime. Can we stop this? If juveniles had activities to keep them busy in the hours after school, which is the peak time for delinquency, then much crime could be prevented. Many police chiefs avow that juvenile delinquency is a good indicator of adult crime. Thoughts?