I'm doing my senior thesis on a topic related to children and crime. I am finding that it may not even be the "degree" or how extreme the actions are that is the problem. It is the media that makes it seem this way. It's not that horrible things are happening more, or that they are more extreme, its that we all hear about them more rapidly and more frequently. The reporting is far more widespread and graphic. When I was a kid, a snatched child (for example) was local news (maybe) and sometimes appeared on milk cartons. Now it is national or even worldwide news...for weeks and even months.

In fact, this thread is a perfect example! How many people read this thread? Where in the world are they? Would that have been possible 20 years ago? I'm NOT saying this thread is bad...just that it is an example of how quickly, and how widespread information can be passed on to others now.