“As a consumer society, this culture of violence translates to consumption.

We consume

media accounts of the violence (Leonard & Cabusas, 2009)”. Indeed, the youth of today fervidly

enjoy the vivid and simulated violence in video games and absorb the understanding of violence

as entertainment. Mass media has great credentials to the introduction of criminality and the

production of the criminal justice system in our societies due to building fear among most

individuals, and media’s contribution to a violent society.

Media is the source of attraction for most individuals being youths, young adults, or

children. Thus, with the increasing number of crimes publicized on social media, some

individuals begin to grasp ideas about crime and act towards achieving them. As mass media

increases the amount of violence perceived on televisions and in video games, the public’s

perception of criminals, victims, and other deviants develops a fearful attitude and behaviour

among most individuals. As a result, the criminal justice system is placed under public pressure

to resolve these crime solutions by increasing effective policing or decreasing the number of

violent acts on mass media.

Kenneth Dowler (2003), wrote an article about media consumption and public attitudes

toward crime and justice that illustrates the relationship between the fear of crime and punitive

attitudes among individuals. Dowler mentions,” research indicates that there are mixed results

regarding the influence of the news media on creating an attitude of fear among the general

public (Dowler, 2003)”. Indeed, individuals who view countless crime stories on media are prone

to feel threatened or develop a fear of crime and victimization. Individuals begin to internalize
crime stories and emphasize that the real world is a frightening environment. Other factors that

increase the fear of crime include the setting of the message and the viewers (Dowler, 2003).

Increase of local crime derives a fear among local viewers, while non-local crimes provide a

sense of safety for local viewers. In a video on Fox Business in 2012 featuring Dave Grossman

live with Lou Dobbs, Grossman observes the impact of video games on children. Grossman

illustrates violence on media and in video games as a horror feeding onto children’s’ minds and

growing a fear in parents, “Death and horror fed to the children (Rullo, 2012)”. Indeed, parents

worry that their children might be victims at a school shooting and will argue for more protection

in schools. Crime paints a fearful illustration in the minds of individuals regarding the reality of

the real world.

Not only does media influence fear among individuals, but it also increases violent

behaviours depicted in most individuals. Turhan Şengönül (2017) developed a study on the

aggressive behaviours with regards to media violence, “research studies have revealed that

watching violence on television is one of the factors independently contributing to the

development of aggressive behavior (Şengönül, 2017)”. Indeed, violence consumed from social

media triggers aggressive behaviour in individuals. Violent video games play a larger role in

aggression as individuals grasp a higher sense of involvement, presence, and control, “The

mediation analysis also suggested that when participants were actively playing the online game,

they experienced a high level of control, leading to a stronger sense of presence (Yoon & Ham,

2016)”. Indeed, frequent gamers for example, become isolated and view the simulated world as

the real world.

Decreasing social interaction among individuals, develops a sense of loneliness where the

only place for interaction is through the simulated world of games. In the video featuring Colonel
Dave Grossman, Dave compares video games to military training videos, “video games provide

the same thing to the children without safeguards (Rullo, 2012)”. Indeed, violence on social

media and video games provide the same images to military viewers, but each for a different

purpose. While the purpose of military videos is to train soldiers, the purpose of video games is

for entertainment.

As a result of the increase of fear and aggressive behaviour among individuals along with

the increase of crime stories published on mass media, the public pressures the criminal justice

system to aid in the protection of its citizens. These protective acts include increasing police

effectiveness and punitive actions towards criminal behaviours and victimization (Dowler,

2003). It is speculated that criminal knowledge and justice are derived from the public’s

consumption of media. Criminal stories publicized on media, feed horror and fear among most

individuals, and increases aggression in behaviour. Overall, the criminal justice system is

pressured to protect its society from the consumption of criminal knowledge and fear among

individuals.
References:

Dave Rullo (2012, December 18). Lt. Col. Dave Grossman on violent video games and media.

Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMsEuR7dhj4&t=78s

Dowler, K. (2003). Media Consumption and Public Attitudes toward Crime and Justice: The

Relationship between Fear of Crime, Punitive Attitudes, and Perceived Police

Effectiveness. Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture, 10(2) (2003) 109-126.

Retreived from: https://www.albany.edu/scj/jcjpc/vol10is2/dowler.html

Leonard, H. A., & Cabusas, J. (2009). The Lived Experience of Consuming Violence. Advances

In Consumer Research, 36, 842-843.

Şengönül, T. (2017). Negative effects of media on children and youth' socialization process: A

study on violent and aggressive behaviors. Çukurova University.Faculty of Education

Journal, 46(2), 368-398.

doi:http://dx.doi.org.library.sheridanc.on.ca/10.14812/cuefd.346149
Yoon, G., & Ham, C. (2016). Consuming entertainment media: How media effects can vary by

users' controllability. Current Psychology, 35(3), 397-402.

doi:http://dx.doi.org.library.sheridanc.on.ca/10.1007/s12144-015-9306-1