The talk of “hit lists” (none was found) that got Jonesboro youths arrested recently is apparently something of a national youth phenomenon, the New York Times reports.
For reasons that are largely unclear to the authorities, the lists have gained toxic traction with a sub-set of students even as rates of school violence have dropped significantly since the early 1990s. Education and law enforcement officials say it is hard to know in any given case whether students write the lists as an actual blueprint for deadly action or to simply attract attention, amuse themselves, act out bravado or bully other students.
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