Media violence is not the primary cause of societal crime

Entertainment Violence

In recent years, politicians and citizen groups have criticized the entertainment industry for its violent content, claiming that it is responsible for violence in society. However, many claim that this consensus is overblown and unfounded by substantial research.

There is considerable sociological and statistical data that suggests that violence begets violence and the root factor in the United States has been war, a continuous experience in one zone or another and one that has become "embedded in daily life through a highly militarized culture" (Cockburn 27). Japan, for example, has extreme violence on its TV and mobile screens, yet has a very low level of social violence (Cockburn 27).

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, statistics show that school violence is at its lowest level in years despite the increase in violent video game sales, therefore, how can there be a correlation between violence in media and youth crime (ACLU pg). A two-year study by the government funded National Research Council cited in its 400-page report that the determining factors for violence in society were "poverty, access to weapons, communications skills and drug use," exposure to violent entertainment media was not even listed (ACLU pg).