Peter T,

Many years ago while in graduate school and in classes with theoretical criminology we had to read an essay called something like "Nothing Works." The interesting thing about the author's point of view was he ended up pointing out that "not one thing" works for all, but some things do work. This piece was instrumental in my own development when it came to deviance and criminality.

With that, from what I've learned and studied, probably the most important linchpin to all of this is nutrition and brain development. I can't recall what percent it is, but brain development in pre-natal and the first few months of a newborn's life is drastically important and things like this fall on deaf ears, especially in America.

The ridicule people that propose more nutritious food in schools is shameful. And we all know how Michelle Obama was hit over her push for better nutrition.

And a few years ago there was a very important article about lead and its impact on the brain centers that deal with behavior (it even showed how devastating it was when it came to urban areas and children).

Unfortunately, nutrition is seen as preventative health care - the later benefits clearly outweigh the costs and initial outlays, but they are always ignored.