BBC News
By Jenny Rees & Matt Lloyd
BBC Wales News
image captionWhat is behind violence such as that seen in Mayhill?
A stash of weapons recovered in Cwmbran, schoolchildren in Cardiff kept indoors while armed police patrolled nearby and a riot in Swansea.
It has been a tumultuous past seven days for communities in south Wales.
There has, of course, been widespread condemnation and outrage, while one leading criminologist fears things could get even worse this summer.
So BBC Wales has looked at the factors at play - and the potential consequences.
Spring often brings with it a rise in anti-social behaviour due to the longer evenings, better weather and school holidays.