Christopher Kipp
9/2/2008
School violence arises from a complex set of causes and risk factors that are embedded in our cultures, communities, schools, families, and peer groups. We look to blame the problem of school violence on out-side factors such as playing violent video games or viewing violent movies. Is playing violent video games making children more aggressive or more violent?
Columbine High School Shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were avid computer gamers. According to psychologists Craig Anderson and Karen Dill, “One possible contributing factor is violent video games. Harris and Klebold enjoyed playing the bloody shoot-‘em-up video game Doom, a game licensed by the U.S. Army to train soldiers to effectively kill.”[1] Is it that some students feel socially isolated and unable to form interpersonal relationships? “An FBI investigation concluded that Klebold was significantly depressed and suicidal, and Harris was a sociopath.”[2]
Before video games children learned to play alone with dolls and train sets, which required a certain amount of imagination. This activity stimulated their brains. “That’s not the case with modern computer games, which do the children’s thinking for them and put them in their own little world.”[3]
“Lee Malvo the “DC Sniper” had a long history of anti-social and criminal behavior, including torturing small animals – one of the best predictors of future violent criminal behavior.”[4]
We blame the young people’s violence on the easy access to weapons, violent video games, and how the media-portrays violent acts as opportunities for killers to have their “15 minutes of fame.”
“Focusing on video games distracted many people from the much more powerful factors that seem to have contributed to this tragedy: the failure of the people around Cho (including his family, teachers, school administrators, court officials and fellow students) to respond appropriately and effectively to his profound and obvious mental illness, as well as the availability of firearms to Cho, despite his court-mandated psychiatric treatment in 2005- treatment that he apparently never received.[5]
1992 to 2001 over the top violent video sales increased, with titles like Mortal kombat, Mortal Kombat 3, and Doom. “Between 1994 and 2001, arrest for murder, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assaults fell 44 percent, resulting in the lowest juvenile arrest rate for violent crimes since 1983. Juvenile murder arrests reached a high of 3,790 in 1993. By 2004, arrests were down 71 percent, to 1,110.”[6] “For reasons not yet understood, arrests for simple assault (actual or attempted attack, without a weapon) increased by 106 percent for boys and 290 percent for girls between 1980 and 2004”[7]
“Feeling of closeness to parents and connectedness to school, for example are known to buffer the effects of exposure to real-life violence on violent behavior.”[8]
In conclusion we as teachers should avoid pre-judging children. Our goal is to lead by example, show respect, and continue to give our students strong affirmations in line with school policies.
[1] Kutner, L. Olson, C. “Grand Theft Childhood: The Big Fear p. 6. Anderson, C. A., and Dill, K. E. “Video games and aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behavior in the laboratory and in life.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 78(4), pp. 772-90
[2] Cullen, D. “The depressive and the psychopath: At least we know why the columbine killers did it.” Slate, April 20, 2004
[3] Save the Children IBID.
[4] Miller, S.A. “Malvo team cites role of violent media: Movie, video games seen brainwashing defendant”. Washington Times, December 9, 2003 p. B-01
[5] Kutner, L. Olson, C. Grand Theft Childhood – The surprising Truth about Violent Video Games. Another unfortunate consequence of this event was the unwarranted association of mental illness with violent behavior was extremely rare. Most people who suffer from mental illness are much more likely to the victims of violence than the perpetrators of violence. The vast majority of people who act violently are not mentally ill.
[6] Kutner, L. Olson, C. Grand Theft Childhood – Chapter 3: Science, Nonsense and Common Sense. Snyder, H.N. Juvenile Arrests 2004. Juvenile Justice Bulletin, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C. December 2006.
[7] Kutner, L. Olson, C. Grand Theft Childhood p. 95. Snyder. H.N. Juvenile Arrest 2004. Juvenile Justice Bulletin, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice, December 2006.
[8] Steinberg. L. “youth violence: Do parents and families make a difference?” National Institute of Justice Journal, April 2000, pp. 31-38.
