Do Video Games Equal Less Crime?

[Kugyince]

The fact that crime has continued to fall is one of the more surprising aspects of the Great Recession. The F.B.I. reported the latest numbers today: violent crimes fell 5.5 percent last year and property crimes declined 4.9 percent.

One factor for the decline seems to be the sheer number of people who have been locked up in recent decades. Some, no doubt, are being kept in prison even though they present little danger; but other prisoners would probably be committing crimes if they were free. Another factor is the spread of smart, data-driven police strategies.

Lawrence Katz, a labor economist, has an intriguing item to add to the list of potential causes: video games. When I spoke to him recently, he was very careful to say it was only an idea. He is far from sure that it’s correct. But, as The Economist put it, “Larry Katz, a Harvard economist, suspects that video games and Web sites may have kept the young and idle busy during this recession, thus explaining the surprising lack of an uptick in crime.”

Do Video Games Equal Less Crime? - Economix Blog - NYTimes.com (http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/24/do-video-games-equal-less-crime/)

[Ashums]

That's an interesting article. I've never thought about it like that because I've always thought that video games these days are more likely to encourage people to commit violent crimes, playing GTA constantly is sure to put ideas in peoples heads.

[Chuck Norris]

Well wouldn't you rather carjack somebody or shoot a pedestrian in Grand Theft Auto than in real life? At least in GTA you won't get 20 to life if you did in real life. Also I find it great stress relief :)

[Kugyince]

In real life it's too difficult to figure out how many stars you have.

[jim5cents]

One factor for the decline seems to be the sheer number of people who have been locked up in recent decades. Some, no doubt, are being kept in prison even though they present little danger; but other prisoners would probably be committing crimes if they were free. Another factor is the spread of smart, data-driven police strategies.


I always thought that both of those reasons, plus other things like gun control laws, were bs reasons why crime rates have dropped. We (society) likes to think that the rules that we control are what keeps crime down.

The hands down best argument for a reduction in crime rate in this country since the mid 90's is that crime is lower because the Supreme Court upheld Roe v. Wade.

[Chuck Norris]

In real life it's too difficult to figure out how many stars you have.

Well depending on how many cops are on your tail

if it's one officer- one star
a cop in a squad car- two stars
the FBI- three stars
FBI & Cops in squad cars- 4 stars
The Army-Five Stars
All of the above- 6 Stars (Good luck surviving that irl)

[Dudebro]

The hands down best argument for a reduction in crime rate in this country since the mid 90's is that crime is lower because the Supreme Court upheld Roe v. Wade.
How does that work? I thought that was a direct cause of nutjobs murdering abortion doctors or blowing up the buildings? It's at the point where some of them have to ride in armored cars and have security details. I've never heard of any way this reduces crime.


I think video games do reduce crime. It's a good way to vent anger/frustration. Maybe there's a connection between this and the increase in FPS games?

[Kong]

Wade Vs Roe legalizes abortions. Abortions reduces the number of nuts born. Less nuts, less crime.

[fenrir1887]

I disagree with the idea of Roe v. Wade being the reason crime has decreased. The reason for this is simple. Not every baby born grows up to be a criminal. I think the only reason crime has decreased is because the people most likely to turn to it are seeing the futility. That and the police are getting a lot harder to get away from.

[Kong]

The ones that their parents wanted to abort are probably more likely to have problems.

[jim5cents]

Of course not every baby born grows up to be a criminal. But look at the population and see which groups were getting a higher percentage of abortions. Single mothers, poor, teenage, early 20's, urban. This group has a less likely chance of raising educated, well parented, well adjusted children. This demographic is the type that joins gangs, commits petty crimes or worse, has drug addicitons.

Roe v Wade was upheld in 1973 and abortions become legal nationwide. Starting in 1993, there was a nationwide crime rate drop. The reason is because potential criminals were never born. Around 20 years old is a criminal's prime. Further evidence backs this up, before Roe v Wade, 4 states had passed abortion laws, New York, Alaska, Hawaii, and Washington, these states saw a crime rate drop prior to the nationwide levels.

[Demon-Mask]

Well depending on how many cops are on your tail

if it's one officer- one star
a cop in a squad car- two stars
the FBI- three stars
FBI & Cops in squad cars- 4 stars
The Army-Five Stars
All of the above- 6 Stars (Good luck surviving that irl)
Don't forget Crockett and Tubbs at three stars. (It happens in Vice City)

[RU Joe]

Who is Irl?

REGARDING the topic at hand, I believe that videogames are a perfect place for people to act out their violent fantasies and vent agression.

I remember when games like Mortal Kombat and Pit Fighter came into the arcades; people were shocked and appalled, mothers clutched babies closely to their bosoms in an attempt to shield them from this new evil, and Church Ladies everywhere said:

'Well, isn't that special?'

Me, as a gamer, lost my flipping mind the first time I saw/ heard Scorpion's signature:

GET OVER HERE! , and saw the claw come out of his hand and shoot towards his opponent, and when he pulled off his hood and blew a fireball at his opponent's feet, completely disintegrating them, I totally lost it.
I remember laughing hysterically and making punching gestures with my hands while my friend was playing the game - what an awesome vent for typical teenage frustration!

And it's like I always say:
Violence and aggression are part of Human nature, and to deny them a safe, sane outlet is not healthy.
Videogames are a safe, sane outlet in my opinion.

I look forward to the day when games bring order to the Universe, align all the stars and planets, and no one will ever again be able to do wrong to another, because they will have a controller in their hands,

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m280/agent0040oz/controllers.jpg
Amen.

[Demon-Mask]

I agree that video games provide a safe outlet for rage and other unresolved feelings.
I have more fun with the over-the-top gore and swinging of chain-blades in video games, then punching someone in the face in reality.

[Tails]

irl = In real life

[RU Joe]

irl = In real life

Thanks, Tails.
I kind of thought that's what it might have been, but thought I should ask.

DM, I think the parents' groups {and Church Ladies} had it all wrong and put the cart before the horse as it were, in regard to their outrage over violence in videogames.
This isn't life imitating art, but art imitating life.

What I mean is that the groups who seemed to be most strongly opposed to the new games {at the time of the release of Pit Fighter and Mortal Kombat} seemed to be saying that the violence in those games would beget violence in the streets - literal Street Fighter {s}.
In fact, I remember one news report on Mortal Kombat where a woman being interviewed said something like:

'They had better knock it off, or there really will be killing in the streets.'
:q
- I started laughing.
Where was this woman living, that there was no violence or killing until the very day that MK was released?

Had she ever been outside of her office/ car/ condo before?
{sorry, but there are people here in Vancouver whose feet rarely touch the sidewalk, and they have a very skewed sense of Human nature and reality as a whole - basically they believe everything the smiling liars of TV say}
:sidefrown:

Anyhow, the point is that there has always been violent entertainment like cockfighting, dog fights, boxing, wrestling and of course their predecessor:
two guys with swords and shields, going at it.
:curse:

We call it Human nature, and I think the current popularity of the MMA and UFC is a testament to that, and also proof that there can be controlled expressions of those generally undesirable violent aspects of our nature which do not necessarily beget more violence in the rest of society, but provide the much needed outlet for those emotions in a safe and sane environment.
{where the violence is somewhat contained}

[Demon-Mask]

That's a bit excessive of the church ladies. Fictional violence does not beget real violence.
Probably the same crowd that hated cable T.V. for anything other than televangelist shows.

[fenrir1887]

@jim5scents, I still believe in my honest opinion that abortion has nothing to do with drop in crime rate. It's not the parents who abort who are deciding who becomes a criminal, it's the ones who are brutally raising their kids. A lot of the women making these decisions are usually the ones who were brought up to understand the consequences of their actions.

[Dudebro]

I can understand the idea behind the abortion thing but is there any hard evidence to back it up or is it all speculation and possibly coincidence?

[fenrir1887]

You can't honestly tell me you know how a kid would have turned out. That is all dependent on the parent.