I think you're right in that the freaking out over the darker parts of childhood, gleefully embraced and exaggerated on by the little bastards children themselves, is a recent thing. I remember people starting to freak about this stuff in the 90s, but its really picked up pace about ten years ago. I have no idea why. There has been a growing trend to keep children under constant supervision and under lock and key until they reach 18/21, depending on state, though and I wonder if this is part of it.

No wonder that so many young adult novels are about dystopic prisons though. Maybe they need more Dahl and dastardly adventure in their little lives.