But aggressive anti-bullying efforts may pose an even greater risk for the bullies themselves, who are increasingly vilified. The actions of the school shooters are explained through references to their upbringing, environment, and status as victims. This is an unfortunate bias considering what we know about the psychology of bullies, specifically that they're often not so far removed from those they torment. According to recent studies, the line between the bullies and the bullied is often blurred, and the most troubled children fall into both categories. In a 1999 study of Finnish students, depression was just as common among the bullies as among the bullied, and the former were even more likely to contemplate suicide.
Bullies have high rates of truancy and are likely to come from troubled families.
According to a pioneer of bullying research, Norwegian psychologist Dan Olweus, though bullies are usually well-liked by their peers when they're young, when they enter high school, where physical aggression is less tolerated, they are often shunned and forced to socialize with other aggressive children. You should see the devastation in their eyes. You would hope anti-bullying activists would try to help these students rather than demonize them. And some do. Rather, they speak to the student body as a whole, encouraging peers and bystanders to intervene when they think it is appropriate and making sure students have particular adults they can talk to when they feel especially troubled.