"I think this is very callous, and a terrible thing to wish on anyone, especially a young teen who while he may have his problems, doesn't deserve that which you wish upon him.", Boring Accountant.
"You can take the savage out of the ghetto, but you can't take the ghetto out of the savage.", Jets 2007.
Yes, it is a very callous thing to say, Boring Accountant. It is what happens to people that come from those kind of surroundings, we become thick skinned. Jets 2007's statement best describes the reason for this. I may have refined myself to a certain extent, but that savage part still resides in my psyche.
There are times that it would be nice to not see those "kids" in that light. There again it may be better to know from past experience what those kids will do to you if you let your guard down. The saddest thing is that once these people are hardened, they are like an abused animal. No matter how much you want to help them there is something that can't be trusted and they may well bite the helping hand.
Granted he is a young adult and may be able to change course and become an upstanding citizen, however that young man may revel in his base behavior and enjoy his visceral, violent, anti-social disposition as well.
Whatever psychological problems that he is experiencing are best handled by a professional rather than a good samaritan. The saying, no good deed goes unpunished has a lot of truth in it. When it comes to the gangster mind set it is best to steer a wide course.
Once that "kid" became 18, he became a man. Since he is a man, he can face the music as one. When you go around threatening people and causing harm to others, it won't be too long before you find yourself being threatened and harmed if not killed somewhere in the process. If that happens it is poetic justice and was earned by living the life of a "gangsta". Cold and callous as that may be it is a simple truth.