NCJ Number
91285
Journal
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Gazette Volume: 42 Issue: 3 Dated: (1980) Pages: 10-17
Date Published
1980
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article vehemently denounces television violence and pleads for use of the telecommunication system to protect, preserve, and instruct the world population of children in methods of survival and cooperation instead of destruction and violence.
Abstract
It contends that if television continues to teach violence and aggression, today's children will grow up into brutal, aggressive, and violent adults. It cites known cases in which juvenile brutality can be traced directly to television programing and other studies critical of the content of television shows, where violence is represented out of the context of its painful and destructive consequences (e.g., suffering from injury, family disruption, etc.), thus leading to its acceptance as normal by young viewers. Television makes viewers think it is acceptable to have and use deadly weapons and desensitizes youths in viewing violence as a natural reaction rather than a rare occurrence. In real life, policemen are taught to reason first or do anything else but pull a gun and shoot, but this is not shown. Television needs to explain, teach, and entertain, not overprogram towards violence. A renewed critical look at television violence is warranted because violent crimes by the young against persons and property are increasing alarmingly.