Reminds me of a school I taught at. Pretty bad, underfunded inner-city school (in the highest crime area of the city).
Had a kid that was always acting out. Nothing exceptionally bad, but just enough to get sent to in-school suspension. Eventually found out that his father had killed his mom and was then killed by the police in a standoff shortly after. All of this occurred in front of him when he was 5 years old. Had bounced between family members (all of which had severe drug/crime problems) and foster homes. Turned out he liked going to in-school suspension because the teacher in there (who was VERY strict and intimidating) provided him with a father figure that he never had.
Once I realized what he was doing I was able to reach him and never had problems with him. Kid even became a pretty solid student academically. Impossible for me to imagine how he viewed the world.
He is now over 18 and has been in and out of the prison system for a few years now for mostly minor crimes (drug possession, petty theft).