Recently, with some variations, American society has witnessed an increase in criminality, as people seem to lose their self-control more easily and to have less respect for human life. Jails and prisons house more offenders of all ages. The reasons for their incarceration are many but include the uncontrolled use of drugs and firearms, both of which may lead to violent acting out. Most of these offenders are eventually discharged from incarceration and returned to society, where they often engage in recidivistic criminal activity. As I have written in previous editorials on this topic, recidivism rates vary, depending on the type of offense, but are generally relatively high. The public, as well as those in the legal field, is, therefore, concerned not only with the past behaviors of these offenders but also with their possibility of recidivism. Some of these offenders are young. People wonder why they show such disregard for human property and human life at such a young age, and the reasons are many. But basically, people grow up in a society in which they form their character on the basis of a reaction to their environment. In this process, they are conditioned by their experiences within their families and their neighborhoods. They react to the ambience, with their own predisposition, likes, and dislikes. It is well accepted that young people, and also adults, are influenced by past positive and negative experiences, the so-called risk and protective factors. Risk factors, as do positive factors, center on the family, school, work, peer influences, and leisure activities. Among the risk factors, for both the young and for adults, some are also predictive of recidivism, including negative antisocial behaviors, antisocial attitudes, antisocial personality, friends with antisocial patterns of behavior, and a history of previous offenses. Other factors also correlate with the prediction of antisocial behaviors. These include living in a family that is lacking the essential, wholesome presence of positive caregivers, with their sound healthy supervision and their affection and love. Substance abuse and persistent negative leisure activities are very influential as well. Protective factors include growing up within a good stable family, attending good schools, having positive peer influences, and the selection of positive leisure activities. It is basically assumed that the exposure to these positive environmental and protective