The rise in violence is a natural consequence of the selfish me-first culture that has infected the whole of Anglo-American society since Thatcher, Reagan and Friedman rose to prominence and put an end to the concept of society - replacing it with the cult of individual success.
We worship celebrities, billionaires, money, personal success, personal fulfilment, individual freedom (which is largely a sham choice of what stupid saying you want emblazened on your Nikes), and have progressively turned our backs on any form of cooperative, collective endeavour, because it smacks of Socialism.
We are fascinated by TV shows that reveal the fabulous lives of spoiled crib-obsessed 'celebs' and showcase the outrageous wealth and privilege of corporate bullies, we do the lottery not to change the lives of our fellow man but to join the elite club ourselves.
Rampant inequality and social injustice permeate every layer of society and yet the downtrodden prefer to prey on each other for a quick hit than to reject selfishness and work together to create a caring, supportive alternative society.
In an internet age it doesn't cost a fortune to set up people's universities, home-study groups and libraries. We could share our unwanted possessions, use churches as creches and schools, recruit reformed drug addicts and gang bangers and pay them to work in the community - giving them an honest source of income and a chance to stop the next-generation falling prey to the same cycle of alienation and violence.