What has the world come to these days? It often seems like everywhere we look, violence rears its ugly head. We see it in the streets, back alleys, schools, and even at home. In the light of the Littleton, Colorado Columbine High shootings, the debate has grown over how media influences children and adolescents. There are many statistics that undeniably support the theory that media causes violence in young children. The entertainment industry insists that their publications(including TV, magazines, Internet, etc.) are legal, guaranteed under the First Amendment. So, who takes responsibility for the crimes committed by juveniles. Is it the entertainment industry (for displaying conscious violence), the government (for lack of regulation), or the parents (for lack of control?). This paper will explore each in an unbiased view.
             America, the nation with the highest homicide rate in the developed world, has seen violence soar to epidemic levels over the past several decades. During this time there has been passionate and ongoing debate about whether there is a causal relationship between media violence and aggression in society. Contrary to some claims, the medical, public health, and scientific communities are in agreement that such a relationship exists. Extensive reviews of more than forty years of scientific studies have led researchers to conclude that the media significantly contributes to the aggressive behavior and attitudes of children, adolescents and adults. (Donnerstein, 1993) In fact, the 1982 National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) reports, supporting the Surgeon General's landmark 1972 conclusions, stated that, "In magnitude television violence is as strongly correlated with aggressive behavior as any other behavioral variable that has been measured." (National, 1982) In 1985, the APA endorsed the Surgeon General and NIMH conclusions that televised violence has a causal effect on aggressive behavior. The A...