CNN had this story last week
Man dies after beating by mob
Wednesday, October 2, 2002 Posted: 9:40 AM EDT (1340 GMT)
MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (AP) -- A man savagely beaten with rakes, shovels and baseball bats by a child mob died Tuesday as authorities held nine youths in custody, and sought seven more.
The group of children, ages 10 to 18, attacked Charlie Young Jr. late Sunday after a fight that started when one of the children tossed an egg at him, police said. …

A friend sent me this link from the US, and asked the question “What has happened to our children?” This is part of my answer. The question is actually far more complicated, the answer has a lot to do with what we as a society think is important and how we should conduct ourselves.

They are the logical response to the selfish 'flower power' generation who rebelled by deciding to "do their own thing" and that the pattern of life that their parents had was not for them.

They are the grandchildren, and great grandchildren of those who survived the Great Depression and WW2, who tried to give the children they produced the 'good life' that they had been deprived of, during times when jobs were easily available and consumables were still something to save towards rather than have on credit immediately.

They are the result of people who have not really come to terms with the responsibilities of parenthood and have been encouraged into an artificially generated need for continual immediate gratification.
They are the result of casually promoted violence and deviance in entertainment.

Recent pundits have labelled America with the epithet of being the 'New Roman Empire' - but they seem to have not recognised that the strength of the Roman empire waned somewhat when gladiatorial combats were no longer used to memorialise recently departed citizens who had served in the legions (and which did not always involve fights to the death), but were used to entertain the hoi-polloi when it was likely to get revolting.

It is not really surprising that some children, with nothing better to do, would pick on a stranger, nor is it surprising that they would react violently to the adult's violence in hitting the second child by killing him. They have no real concept of death. In their limited experience, there is probably the expectation that their victim will come back in the next episode…

As for the ability for mob-mentality to operate, I would be asking what these children hold to as their 'operating principals' (only the question would have to be phrased in a way that would be understood) and would not be at all surprised for the answer to involve the need to protect each other, and to have fun. The children no doubt reacted to the man's violence towards the second child, not making the connection to their original provocation of the thrown egg.

But it is sickening that these children, particularly the older ones, have behaved like this and it makes one wonder what the reaction of their parents has been to the involvement of their children in this revolting incident. And if the parents knew or cared what their children were doing.

Feeling somewhat sad because that I don't know where to really start looking for an answer, nor how to get the question asked in a way that would promote a positive and life-affirming way forward. But I am aware that we need to make at least a start on asking the questions.