How Video Games are Influencing Juveniles into Committing Crimes (Essay Sample)

Video Games and Juvenile Delinquency
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Video Games and Juvenile Delinquency
Juvenile delinquency is the understated commitment of adult-related criminal offences by young individuals below the age required for normal criminal prosecution. Juvenile delinquency can additionally be considered as the participation of minors in illegal behaviors. On the other-hand, a video game refers to an electronic game that involves the inanimate interaction between an individual and a user interface CITATION Law08 \l 1033 (Lawrence Kutner & Cheryl Olson, 2008). Since the inception of video games in the 1980s, scientists and other related specialists have been debating the connection between video games and juvenile delinquency. However, nowadays the debate has taken a more twisted turn due to the increase in violence, bloodiness and realism depicted in the games CITATION And00 \l 1033 (Anderson Craig, Dill, Karen E., 2000). This paper will look to investigate how video games are contributing to juvenile delinquency in the globe today.
Research carried out in the United States by American Psychological Association on the effects of video games on teens' behavior and achievement produced related results. The research included 217 adolescents (average age of 13) and the investigators assessed different aspects like the time they depleted playing the video games and the type of games they played CITATION Ben13 \l 1033 (Carey, 2013). The study revealed that teens that played solitary games were less prone to violence behavior and had the ability to maintain adequate academic progression. However, teens that played war-game and competitive games displayed inadequate academic progression and they did not display major violence or delinquent behavior. It is important to emphasize that video games are just but part of the factors that influence young individuals and contribute to delinquent behavior. CITATION Ben13 \l 1033 (Carey, 2013)
While some researches do not entirely reveal evidence of the effects of video games on juvenile delinquency, a research carried out by Christopher Barlett a psychologist at Iowa University in collaboration with other researchers' revealed different results. The research involved 47 undergraduates where a sample played games like "Mortal Kombat”, "Call of Duty”, which are violence related and a sample of the group did not play any of the games. The results disclosed that the students who played the games depicted aggressive tendencies, which can influence teens and lead to juvenile delinquency CITATION Ben13 \l 1033 (Carey, 2013). It important to note that while juvenile delinquency can lead to deplorable actions, like the massacre at Columbine High School in Denver where Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed thirteen people the increase in video games has not led to the increase in juvenile delinquency. Michael R. Ward an economist from the University stated that the increased sale of video games did not necessarily lead to increased juvenile delinquency. CITATION Ben13 \l 1033 (Carey, 2013)
The habitual behavior and habitual uses of certain substances like video games ultimately lead to harmful consequences. Most of these video games emphasize on winning at all costs which is not a true reflection of reality. When a juvenile is engulfed in the cloud of victory at all times, him or her reacts aggressively to any lose whether realistic or virtual and this can lead young people or teens to committing criminal acts CITATION Mar15 \l 1033 (Weigel, 2015). Video games like the infamous "Call of Duty" encourage war and this can subsequently lead to inadmissible behavior. A prime example of this particular case is the killer of 77 people in Norway who confessed to have prepared for the assault by playing Call of Duty: Modern warfare2. CITATION Mar15 \l 1033 (Weigel, 2015)
However, in conclusion the belief that video games contribute to juvenile delinquency can be refuted by the fact