NCJ Number
73149
Journal
Polizia Moderna Volume: 31 Issue: 11 Dated: (November 1979) Pages: 16-28
Date Published
1979
Length
13 pages
Annotation
The relationship between the growing violence of European juveniles and protrayals of violence in the mass media is explored.
Abstract
West German statistics show that children in particular spend an inordinate amount of time watching television, listening to the radio, and viewing movies. Violence and pornography are also available to all age groups through video cassettes, magazines of the Playboy type, and comics. According to the results of many recent studies, television has supplanted movies and easy reading such as comics as the most influential medium. However, other factors, especially personality structure and environment also appear to play an important role in the evolution of violent behavior. Furthermore, careful analysis of statistics suggests that violent crimes among juveniles have not expanded as rapidly as violent crimes among the general population. Still, individual cases of juveniles committing senseless murders because of scenes from westerns or police films raise the same questions about the influence of television. One study indicates that juvenile delinquents show a marked preference for sensational programs compared to control groups. Results of a major Austrian study suggest that juvenile delinquents prefer movies to television, but are more likely than control groups to become totally engrossed in police stories on television or in books or films. In contrast to controls, young delinquents tend to notice new methods of committing crimes and to identify with offenders rather than police. Both groups tend to become accustomed to the violence of violent series. But, as this study concludes, television cannot be viewed as a crime cause, having a lesser influence than a number of other factors in early childhood. Another researcher hypothesizes that television provides a means of rationalizing violent behavior. In any case, children in their formative years learn from imitating the examples of their immediate families and friends. Thus, while a normal child will probably not become a criminal under the influence of television violence, violent media fare may, as a UNESCO study found, negatively affect the development of a child in a disturbed environment. To limit the influence of television violence, German television has suppressed western and police films in general, as well as violent television scenes of any type before nine o'clock in the evening. Children of the lower classes watch more television than children of the upper classes. Furthermore, childrens' interest in violent films and stories increases as they grown older, peaking at about 12 or 13 years of age, when many children are watching programs meant for adults. Given these circumstances, even though direct negative effects of television violence are difficult to prove empirically, the author recommends that violent programs be eliminated or limited to documentaries at late times and that more programs be conceived to develop critical thinking and positive attitudes in young children. Illustrations are supplied.