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Bullies understand sanctions. The schools are usually unwilling or unable to provide them: Suspension is just a 5-day vacation after which they kick the shit out of you again, and a "good talking to" from the principal or "guidance counselor" is just a break from class after which they kick the shit out of you again. If the school cannot or will not supply the sanction, then the victim must. And since bullies are not known for listening to reason, that sanction must come in a form they will listen to; namely instant and irresistable violence. I spent 1-10th Grade getting beaten up and harassed on a daily basis; that stopped only after I very publically thrashed three of the kids who were responsible. Involving adults had only gotten me beaten up worse; the teachers and principal did jack shit to help me or any of the other dozen or so kids I knew who were in a similar situation.
As for involving the bullies' parents, that's fine...until the parent won't admit that their precious Tommy could do such a thing, or they expess approval because your child "must have done something to deserve it" or suchlike. Worse, sometimes you encounter parents who approve of their child's bullying, because your child is "a pussy" or a member of a racial minority.
As for the sanity of bullies, I happen to agree with you; no sane person acts that way. To deliberately and maliciously torment another human being who has done you no wrong is not the act of a sane person. In my opinion, it borders on sociopathy.
Bullies may be children and people, but they're children and people who physically attack and violate their victims, people who never did them harm. Such behavior should not be met with half-measures that do nothing to discourage it.
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