I think there are also kids who are just brats, @ssholes, and they grow up to be more of what they were when they were young... I will say good family can make a difference, and examples along the way are good too... but I think it's a failure in many places that came together for this kid.
I think some of the big problems are kids aren't taught to respect *anything* anymore.. Not other people, their feelings, property, law or anything else. Now there are other places in the world that we love to hate for human rights violations.. but lets take Japan... I could be wrong here, but if people don't even litter, I think the rest of the crime rate is much lower too... and that comes about with being taught respect from day 1. The court systems in the 'western' world are now a mockery... Bring back "Hanging Judge Begbie" to every courthouse, and things would shape up right away. Now I realize the wild west was perhaps a little too wild, but we've certainly overcompensated. I think a perfectly reasonable penalty for rapists is castration... no need for jail time.. you've just made sure they don't get the urge anymore.
I see it in my cattle... Mean cows have mean calves, Fencebusters raise fencebusters...