Internet access, violent movies, and crime

Many thanks to Say Uncle for the pointer.

Overview for the laymen is here.

More porn means less rape.  Porn is implied. The actual variable is Internet access.

Violent movies reduce violent crime.

Previous studies measured aggression in the laboratory but not what happens in the real world. These researchers seem to have found ways to get the data from the real world. Bravo for them. I’m skeptical but only because it’s what I want to believe. It reduces the justification for interference with the free market. Let’s see if other researchers can duplicate and/or confirm their work. I’ll be doing my part–especially with the porn.

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3 thoughts on “Internet access, violent movies, and crime

  1. In the case of the violent crime they believe it is because the people that commit crimes (young males) also like violent movies. When they are at the movies drinking their sodas they aren’t on the streets drinking their beer and looking for trouble.

    In the case of rape and Internet access it’s more of catharsis. Let just say they can use the easily available porn on the internet in the privacy of their own room in ways they couldn’t in a laboratory setting. And it’s easier to close the browser window than it is to hide the porn magazines from the parents. Not to mention getting hard copy porn is more difficult than internet porn. At least this is the working hypothesis of the researchers.

  2. Conclusion: we need more violent porn. That would kill two birds with one stone.

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