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Shaan Johri
Professor White
ENG 123
Dec 4, 2015
Media Violence and Mass Incarceration: A Cycle of Violence
With the emergence of violent media, American culture has been influenced. This has resulted in
an influx of crime which has contributed to the mass incarceration problem. I will point out the
social issues, when they began, what issues we are facing now, and what we can do to help stop
this problem. It is our moral and rooted Biblical duty to protect our children by giving them the
tools they need to be emotionally intelligent and non-violent. Furthermore, it is also our duty to
help those who are in difficulty and in need, by teaching them the skills they need to be an asset
to society.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil,
to give you a future and a hope. - Jeremiah 29:11
With the increase in mass shootings and violence we are seeing across our country over the past
generation, with violence effecting our schools and churches, one must wonder what is inspiring
these events.
The increase in crime in the late 1980s and 1990s called for a tougher stance on crime. In the
process of being tougher on crime, our prison system has grown into a bubble of mass
incarceration. With crime rates dropping, and ex-convicts being reentered into society, how can

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we protect ourselves from this vicious cycle of violence? How can we protect the future
generation from becoming violent, and how can we help those prisoners acclimatize back to
society?
Dropping ones child off at school has never become such a gamble as it is today, as mass
shootings have skyrocketed in the past decade. Take for instance, the story of boy-next-door
Adam Lanza. Adam shot his mother Nancy Lanza to death at home on December 14, 2012.
Adam then went to school and killed 20 children and six adults before taking his own life (AP ,
2015).
Adam Lanza had notched up more than 83,000 'kills' on his beloved video games
including 22,000 'head shots' as he trained himself for the horrific Sandy Hook massacre,
it has emerged Nancy Lanza recalled to a friend days before the attack that her son had
become increasingly obsessed with the military since she told him he wasn't cut out to be
a Marine, and she described finding disturbing pictures of mutilated corpses and
murdered children under his bed (Bates and Pow , 2013).
This first-person-shooter style video game did not hit the mainstream consumers list until the
late 1990s. Violent media is very dangerous, because it is very difficult to regulate age limits on
who is exposed to this. This regulation and terms of understanding needs to begin in the home at
a young age in regards to video games and also violent music (Johnson and AP).
Psychologists unanimously agree that a child who has been exposed to media violence at age
eight, is more likely to show aggressive tendencies at age eighteen (Jackson and Anderson).
One eerie example of how violent media can influence us is a murder which occurred in Austin
Texas by Ronald Ray Howard. Howard was pulled over by Texas Department of Public Safety

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Trooper Bill Davidson for a broken tail light when Howard murdered the trooper. Howard claims
that he was influenced by the violent natured music he was listening to at the time of the murder.
Howards attourney claims that the music was responsible for the murder (Philips , 2003).
The song Howard was playing at the time of murder was as follows (discretion advised):
' I got a tech-9 now his smokin' a** is mine . . .
Comin' quickly up the streets
is the punk a** police
the first one jumped out and said freeze .
I popped him in his knees . '
- Tupac Shakur
It is clear to see that our violent culture is creating a generation that is prone to aggression by
examining the history of violent media and how it has contributed to the mass incarceration
bubble that we are facing.
Many States are facing budget crisis, which is prompting many states to release offenders that
are eligible for early reentry into society. Most prisoners are repeat offenders and do not have the
emotional or social skills it takes to be a part of society once again. (Steiker , pg 3) How can we
help them integrate into society peacefully with dignity? How can we prevent our children from
being influenced by media violence and the aggressive culture it creates?
Louisiana Governor and Presidential candidate Bobby Jindal sees the cultural epidemic clearly.
In his blog article, in regards to mass shooting violence that has recently escalates, he states that
these shootings a are a symptom of deep and serious cultural decay in our society (Jindal , pg
2). In his Blog, Jindal goes down a long laundry list of what is truly ailing society and what he

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describes as a secret that all politicians know and try to hide. Jindal describes how we as a
society glorify acts of violence in pop culture and this glorification is apparent in our movies,
music videos and video games. He describes how parents are no longer present to raise their
children, and that parents are fine with allowing children to indulge in a fantasy word of video
games that revolves around pretending to kill humans for two hours a day after school (Jindal ,
pg 3). He puts the nail in the coffin of his argument by stating that most of these mass shooters
have a poor relationship with their father, or no father figure at all. And who is it that
generally commits these evil acts of mass murder that are becoming routine? Its almost always
young men who have either no father figure in their lives, or a broken relationship with their
father. Is this just a coincidence? Of course not. (Jindal , pg 3).
Music genres such as hip hop, and rap were born out of the Bronx, and were adopted first by
inner cities across America, then spread across the country (Jackson and Anderson). Rap music
took a very violent turn during the mid-1980s, where the most violent and also top selling
albums began production. This time period also coincides with the most violent period in recent
American History and also with the spike in mass incarceration. For instance, Colorado Springs
Police have reported a sharp increase in violent crime that is directly related to violent gangster
rap (Frosch , 2007)
Joan Petersilia, Professor at Law at Stanford University and Co-Director of the Stanford
Criminal Justice Center also attests to the soaring crime rate during this time period. She speaks
about how from 1960 to 1990, the overall U.S. crime rate increased more than fivefold, the
frequency of violent crime nearly quadrupled, and the murder rate doubled. Drug use increased.
The upsurge was widely blamed on lenient punishment, particularly for violent repeat offenders
(Petersilia ,pg 2). She explains that politicians passed measures promising to "get tough" on

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criminals. Some of these measures included revoking opportunities for bail for some offenders
and also the three-strikes laws that sentenced repeat offenders to harsher sentences. Judges
were also mandated to give minimum sentences that were longer than they were in the past, and
also truth in sentencing measures which mate inmates serve out a greater period of their
sentence before being eligible for parole. According to Petersilia, there are some of the
legislatures that contributed to the incarceration bubble (Petersilia , 2011).
Although the number of violent crimes have died down as of recent and new incarcerations have
reached a tipping point (Steiker ,pg 3), the effects of violent media on society and culture are
still alive (Signorielli , pg 1).
Compton, California prosecutor and member of the board of the Association of Deputy Distric
Attourneys, Eric Sidall clearly states why crime went down. He states they beefed up penalties,
and I think the penalties have kept people off the street, and because of that, things are safer,
(Kaste , pg 4).
Marc Mauer, Assistant Director of the Sentencing Project states that polls taken in the late 1980s
and early 1990s had registered crime as a major concern for Americans. He states that As
recently as 1994, national political debate was focused prominently on a $30 billion federal
crime bill loaded with substantial financial incentives for new state prison construction (Mauer ,
pg 50).
Many major politicians took pride in their stance on being tough on crime. This saber-rattling
further funded the incarceration bubble.
I can be nicked on a lot, but nobody can say Im soft on crime President Bill Clinton

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The War on Drugs declared by President Richard Nixon in 1971, produced stringent laws which
helped law enforcement crack down on crime. Statistics clearly show that although it was
dubbed The War on Drugs, violent offenders have by far been the majority of the incarcerated
(NASBO).
In 1984, the Sentencing Reform Act was unanimously passed in the House of Representatives
and the Senate, which created tougher sentencing laws for criminals (U.S. Sentencing
Commission)
With a generation of Americans exposed to media violence, and a swelling prison population that
must be released for the sake of humanity, what can we do?
The first step we can take is to teach our children that violent media is a moral and cultural
menace. The First Amendment protects our right to free speech, and therefore it is very difficult
to bad media, regardless of how vile it may be.
California law makers have been trying to pass a law that would ban the sale of violent video
games to children. The Supreme Court struck down the law, calling it infringing on First
Amendment right to free Speech. It was reported that the justices said that theres no authority to
"restrict the ideas to which children may be exposed." If passed, the law would have banned the
sale to anyone under 18 years old and retailers would be fined for violating it (Johnson and AP).
Instead of allowing our children to zone out on violent video games or movies, we can direct our
children to positive programming to help them understand their emotions. Head of the
Department of Communication at the University of Illinois, Barbara J. Wilson writes about the
effects of positive programming on children. She states that regular viewing of shows with
positive messages taught preschoolers how to be in tune with their emotions and were more able

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to deal with emotional situations as they arose. Sesame Street in particular incorporated many
scenarios and made giving children emotion intelligence as one of its goals. For instance, a
series of episodes that aired in 2001 revolved around a hurricane that destroyed Big Birds home.
The program showed how Big Bird dealt with his emotions in a positive way (Wilson).
Developmental psychologists and media scholars alike have argued that screen media play a
crucial role in childrens emotional development (Wilson , pg 89).
It is recorded in the Book of Matthew that Jesus Christ advocated justice for all, including those
incarcerated. Helping those in need transcends party lines, and it is what makes us human and
worth saving.
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came
unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and
fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have
done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me
(The Holy Bible, Matthew 25:36-40).
Although the crime rate is at an all-time low, our system of mass incarceration is still at an alltime high and states are getting it. Furthermore, Democrats and Republicans are agreeing that
the trend of mass incarceration must end. Both parties agree that it is the humane thing to do,
and also the more financially responsible thing to do (Blades and Norquist). The various faith

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communities and organizations, those who lean right and left, have been working in prisons for
years. They have brought back to their allies that the news that our present lock em up
strategy is breaking up families and communities and not reducing recidivism rates. (Blades and
Norquist , pg 2)
Both Joan Petersilia and NASBO state the problems to come in regards to releasing inmates who
are unprepared to face civilian life. In regards to the number of prisoners released into society,
Petersilia states that Almost everyone who goes to prison ultimately returns home about 93
percent of all offenders Although the average offender now spends 2.5 years behind bars,
many terms are shorter, with the result that 44 percent of all those now housed in state prisons
are expected to be released within the year. This year, some 750,000 men and women will go
home. Many if not most will be no better equipped to make successful, law-abiding lives
for themselves than they were before they landed in prison (Petersilia , 2011).
The National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO) also agrees with the trend of
reducing prison populations. In a recent report, NASBO states after decades of prison system
expansion, states are beginning to enact and implement corrections reforms to bring down the
size of the inmate population by seeking to reduce recidivism and directing resources to
incarceration alternatives (NASBO , 2013).
Dr. Lisa Firestone of PsychAlive.org speaks of how San Franciscos Manalive program has been
successful at teaching inmates calming techniques, so they are able to identify anger and stop it
before it gets out of hand. The Restorative Justice system, is a social program in which prisoners
are given opportunities in society. Programs such as this enable ex-convicts to have a purpose

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outside of crime that will help them be an asset to society and help end their cycle of violence
(Firestone , 2012).
President Obama is working to promote a rehabilitation and reintegration plan for
convicts, and also special access to Federal Pell grants for educational programs
(NASBO , 2013).
As a Nation we have let ourselves forget the laws and mercy given to us by God. Instead of
being influenced by the word of God, many are drawn by the entertainment industry. Not only
does this lead us towards confusion, anger and hate, it also has dealt us a heart full of fear. This
fear enabled us to become the leading incarcerating nation in the world.
We must take a stand and remember the words of Jesus Christ recorded in the Book of Luke:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me.
He has sent me to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the prisoners
and recovery of sight to the blind, to liberate the oppressed,
and to proclaim the year of the Lords favor
(The Holy Bible, Luke 4:19-21).
We can break this cycle of violence, and end the mass incarceration bubble we are facing.
Programs out there that can help. First we must contact out local legislator and demand that we
support local rehabilitation centers for ex-convicts. We must also have their rights reinstated, so
they can live as citizens of this country once again with dignity. They have made their
repentance, why must they suffer. To help, contact your local Reentry Program, for details, visit:
www.corrections2community.org

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With the influx of violent crime influenced by violent media, which has contributed to the mass
incarceration problem. Beginning with the emergence of violent rap music that has influenced
violent crime, to the violent shooter video games we see today that many mass shooters admit to
being avid players of. Jesus Christ taught the lesson of kindness to prisoners. It is our duty to
help those who have been imprisoned by enabling them to join society with a higher purpose
than violence and crime. We must also protect our children by giving them the tools they need to
be emotionally intelligent and non-violent. The tools are out there for us to use and foster, and
we must unite as a Nation and a people to relieve the bursting mass incarceration bubble and
help our fellow man.

Works Cited
AP. "Home Of Sandy Hook School Shooter Adam Lanza Is Demolished." 2015. Web.
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/24/adam-lanza-homedemolished_n_6934312.html>.
Bates, Daniel and Helen Pow. "sandy Hook Shooter Adam Lanza." 2013. Web.
<http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2516427/Sandy-Hook-shooter-Adam-Lanza83k-online-kills-massacre.html>.
Blades, Joan and Grover Norquist. "This is the One Thing the Right and Left Are Working
Together On In Congress." Time 7 May 2014. Web. <http://www.time.com>.
Firestone, Lisa. "7 Ways to Stop Violence at Every Age." Compassion Matters 1 Oct 2012. Web.

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Frosch, Dan. "Colorado Police Link Rise in Violence to Music." Ny Times 3 September 2007.
Web.
Jackson, Brenda and Sharon Anderson. "Hip Hop Culture Around the Globe: Implications for
Teaching." Black History Bulletin Spring 2009: 22-32.
Jindal, Bobby. "We fill Our Culture With Garbage, And We Reap The Result." 6 October 2015.
bobbyjindal.com. Web.
Johnson, Carrie and AP. "Court: California Can't Ban Violent Video Game Sales." 2011. Web.
<http://www.npr.org/2011/06/27/137446796/court-california-cant-ban-violent-videogame-sales>.
Kaste, Martin. "Is It Possible To Let More People Out Of Prison, And Keep Crime Down?" npr
16 July 2015: 7. Web.
Mauer, Marc. "State Sentencing Reforms: Is the "Get Tough" Era Coming to a Close?" Federal
Sentencing Reporter October 2002: 50-52. Web.
Petersilia, Joan. "Beyond the Prison Bubble." National Institute of Justice 268 (2011): 2. Web.
Philips, Chuck. Rap Defense Doesn't Stop Death Penalty : 'The music affected me,' says Ronald
Ray Howard. 'That's how it was that night I shot the trooper.'. Austin: LA Times, n.d.
Web. <http://articles.latimes.com/1993-07-15/entertainment/ca-13309_1_ronald-rayhoward>.
Signorielli, Nancy. "Does Exposure to Media Violence Promote Aggressive Behavior." Violence
in the Media: A Reference Handbook (2005).

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Steiker, Carol S. "Mass Incarceration: Causes, Consequences, and Exit Strategies." Ohio State
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