Crime and Television, Could There Be A Connection? Watching the news a few days ago, I came across some startling information. According to new statistics, the crime rate and inmate population in the United States has gone up 20% from the year 2001 to 2002. These statistics include the rise in juvenile crime as well. It is being said that this increasing problem is being caused by the dramatic increase in violent television programs. It is proven that violent acts being witnessed or viewed day after day may numb ones sense of right and wrong, which can result in a lapse in judgment causing violent behavior. This is particularly true amongst young viewers. With the rise of violent television programming and the rate at which young people are watching television, we may soon have a tremendous problem. Most prisons now a day are holding more and more young offenders. The statistics are getting scary and so are the people under the age of 25 who are committing them. In most prisons containing only males, 66% of the inmates are there due to violent crimes and 30% of them are under 22 years old. Such crimes include homicide, rape, abuse, molestation, etc. These are serious allegations that most of the criminals have willingly admitted to or have been proven to commit the crime without a doubt. It is strange to think of a human being actually doing some of these horrible things. What can possibly go on in a person's head to trigger such violent behavior? Violent crime prisoner usually have some sort of "battered past", as the Criminal Psychiatric Division calls it. A "battered past" is defined by having previous criminal history, abuse, neglect, or other such circumstances while growing up. Such issues are said to cause permanent psychological damage sometimes, more often than not, causing violent or damaging behavior in their future. This behavior may not be visible right away. It may tak...