How we view ourselves as well as how we are viewed by others, is absolutely relevant to how we turn out as adults, for those who feel inadequate, abandoned, unloved, and marginalized, are not going to be in many a case, good and upstanding citizens, but rather they are going to be the very opposite of such. Those then, who come from enclaves of poverty and hopelessness, are the most vulnerable people subject to living lives that are unsatisfactory and inclined therefore to join forces with those of the same general ilk to strike back at others and at society, for being placed in a position, in which, they feel nothing but hopelessness, oppression, and the nagging feelings of inadequacy.
A lot of the problems that society suffers from have an awful lot to do with the construct that people live under, of which, those who live in households that are filled with unconditional love, patience, caring, and attention, are typically going to have quite satisfactory lives, and because of this will also feel good about their own character. On the other hand, those who lack those very things, such as feeling that they are cared for, that they are valued, and that they mean something of substance to others that they look up to and respect, are going to fill that void with something that is often destructive, and typically not constructive. This means the type of mindless violence, which seems endemic in many major cities in America, is primarily caused by those who feel that they must strike back at a society that has marginalized them, so that they can have their say, by any means, so perceived as being necessary.
Look, to believe that somehow, the prisons are made up primarily of those who are well educated, and who come from loving and caring families, is belied by the fact that those who are incarcerated are often, in fact, ill-educated, and come from environments which suffer from poverty, hopelessness, food insecurity, and the lack of opportunity. So too, these areas of poverty often suffer from the policing arm of the state strong-arming them, with or without cause, which only adds to the frustration and anger that has been instilled within the residents of those enclaves.
So then, the violence of this nation has a lot to do with those that commit such violence not feeling that they will ever amount to anything, so they take their frustration out by hurting the other, in order to bring on at least a temporary basis, a feeling of power and adequacy. This thus signifies that if this nation is serious about correcting the systemic violence demonstrated and displayed in our major cities, it must concentrate first and foremost on doing its best to see that families are supported in a way and manner, that children feel love, safety, and comfort, from those that they are closest to. Additionally, it is vital that all neighborhoods, no matter the income or lack thereof, have as a basis, a good infrastructure of sound schools, as well as activities that engage the mind and body of children so that these children have thereby a fair chance to develop into good citizens.