Americans Must Give Up TV Violence For The Kids, Or Else :: essays research papers fc

Americans Must Give Up TV Violence For the Kids, Or ElseTo the unsuspecting eye, this nations response and reaction to the risein number of violent acts committed by teenagers could be described asappropriately overwhelming, but when examined more closely, does Americareally care? When examined in a general sense, violence has declined overallin the US but has risen among teens (Hunt 651). Who is to blame and howare we trying to prevent youth crime and teen sleeping around? A New YorkTimes poll in 1995 reported only 21 percent of those who were surveyedactually put the blame on picture (Hirschorn 643). both those who cite TVand popular music as the source of teen aggression and those who disagreehave reasons to do so. There is valid proof buttocks both points of view but Ifirmly believe there is a direct cause/effect relationship between what childrenview on TV and how they act in the real world. Research, which I willdiscuss, conducted in both England and the US proves to me be yondreasonable doubt that violent television programs every directly or indirectlyeffect children and I think the government should take a more active role inyouth crime prevention.Though some of the evidence that supports my beliefs has been viewedas circumstantial, it is too valuable to be ignored. Brandon Centerwall, aprofessor at the University of Washington, summarized some of the evidencein an article in the Spring 1993 issue of The Public Interest. His researchfindings focused on instances circa 1975 when television was introduced torural Canadian and South African communities. In both countries, there wasa significantly noticeable increase in violent crime committed by the young(Kristol 641). Professor Centerwall also notes that when TV was introducedin the United States after(prenominal) World War II, the homicide rated among whites,who were the first to buy sets, began to rise, while the black homicide ratedidnt show any such increase until four years later on (Kristol 6 41). Such factshighlight the probability that what children watch, they copy. It isunadmirable to count such evidence as circumstantial, but those who examinethe facts in a broad sense, look over the precise fields in where the increasesor decreases occur. According to Centerwall, if television was neverinvented, the United States would have 10,000 fewer homicides (Kristol 642). A study conducted in England also supports that violent television hasan effect on children. English Parliament introduced legislation to limit theavailability of violence-rich videos in 1994 after the study, conducted by aprofessor from Nottingham University, was released.