Does Viewing Violent Media Really Cause Criminal Violence?
A Methodological Review.” Aggression and Violent Behavior 10 (2004): 99-128. Abstract: The topic of media violence has been the subject of heated debate in recent decades. There is a vast empirical literature on the effects of television on aggression but no published comprehensive review has ever focused on those studies that use criminal aggression as their outcome. . . . Although the possibility that television and film violence has an impact on violent criminality remains, it is concluded here that, despite persistent published reviews that state the contrary, the body of published, empirical evidence on this topic does not establish that viewing violent portrayals causes crime.
