What happened to the age of innocence?

Tie-flicking, Chinese burns, wedgies: play-fighting has always been a part of growing up. But now playground combat is spilling over into the streets, mutating into a murderous blood sport. Kids are being killed for being caught up in gangs and for refusing to fight. Young men are being knifed to death in broad daylight. In a society that has no fear of the police, that knows the nearest bobby is probably miles away, kids are out of control, fuelled by anger and hatred beyond their years. I'd like to keep my boy innocent for as long as possible, so that childhood can be childhood, with a bit of healthy scrapping and the odd black eye.