When examining the reasons for youth violence, he also suggested looking at issues such as the abundance of violent scenes on television and in the movies and the large number of children being raised without both parents. Most importantly, said Peterson, we must look at drug use among our children. We are clearly losing the war on drugs because there are more drugs in our schools today than ever before. Only a decade ago, drugs and youth crime were isolated to inner city, urban neighborhoods. But today, while the problem remains in the cities and has spread to rural America.
Drugs are prevalent in virtually every city, town, township, borough and community.
So without dealing with the wide-spread availability of drugs, the unending violence on television, in the movies and on video games, and without addressing the need for families to guide and support their children, we are not going to stop youth violence. Those who blame youth problems on guns are on the wrong track. The problem before us is far beyond guns.