Authorities scramble to contain youth violence

Recent highly publicized episodes of violence among schoolchildren have authorities - government officials, teachers, judges, even the Church - scrambling to deal with the problem and keep it from spreading further.

There is much official talk about more severe penalties and sending parents of violent students to prison.

For their part, teachers and experts say that there is uneven enforcement and some question whether repression will help contain the violence without prevention.

Some teachers say that students do not become violent in school but outside of it.

"We are trying, but the kids come to us having already become wild animals," one teacher said.

And the parents' attitude varies widely, depending on whether their child is victim or aggressor. Some are quick to call for a prosecutor, while others excuse their child's behavior.