The scientific point to Juvenile violence

USA Today 04/24/12 Liz Szabo “Violence ‘ages’ children’s DNA: Study: Exposure can cuase some disease to show up years earlier” http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/story/2012-04-24/violence-cellular-mark/54493338/1 In fact, a new study suggests that violence leaves long-term scars on children's bodies — not just in bruises on the skin, but also altering their DNA, causing changes that are equivalent to seven to 10 years of premature aging. Telomeres are special DNA sequences that act like the plastic tips on shoelaces, which prevent the DNA in chromosomes from unraveling. They get shorter each time a cell divides, until a cell can't divide anymore and it dies. Several factors have been found to shorten telomeres, including smoking, radiation and psychological stresses such as early life maltreatment and taking care of a chronically ill person. Common Sense Review It is interesting. We have known for years that violence beget violence. Basically, if children see violence in the home they tend to be violent. Yet there has never been a collation between DNA and Psychological damage. I am curious what psychological stresses shorten the DNA strain. Would the issues of bullying, single parent strife or parental neglect be the focal point of defining juvenile psychological stress? This article caught my eye due to the increase in juvenile offenders of violent crimes. As the govt throws money at programs to research these problem, the one on one confrontation of these situation are left in the dust and we will have a generation of children who are angry who feel they have no avenue but to drugs or jail…