NCJ Number
159350
Date Published
1996
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This paper argues that violence seen by children on television and in the movies teaches them to be violent as they become teenagers.
Abstract
The increase in violent crime in the United States, especially that committed by teenagers, relates directly to the increasing amount of violence portrayed in the media. Television's influence on children starts earlier than most realize, and very young children cannot evaluate the messages they receive from the media. Predominant messages of television, movies, and other media are that violence is an everyday occurrence and an acceptable way of solving problems and that promiscuous sex is normal and expected of everyone. While television has unlimited potential for good, its influence on children is largely negative. About half of sex offenders in the United States are under 18 years of age, 3 million school crime incidents occur yearly, and teenagers arrested for murder increased by 85 percent between 1987 and 1991. Aggressive behavior is linked to media violence, effects of childhood exposure to violence on the increased incidence of juvenile crime are discussed, and explanations of how media violence translates into real-life violence are noted. 1 figure