One of the adolescents had participated in a gang assault on a bus passenger who later succumbed to his injuries, while the other had knifed a bus passenger to death. The case histories reveal no unusual previous aggression, though both adolescents had histories of minor delinquent activities. Both offenders deeply regretted the offense and affirmed that they did not intend such an outcome. Neither offense could have been predicted or prevented, and neither of the juveniles can be called a murdered in the true sense of the word. Although both came from broken homes and indicated some insecurity as a result, no single aspect of society or the offender's personality can be blamed for the events. The author suggests that these offenders are examples of a collective failure of society. 9 references