Proof Positive that Violent 3D Games are Effecting the Juvenile Crime Rate

[paulcs]

I started in 1993 as Wolfenstein 3-D was released in May 1992, and a trend in youth related crime really started to emerge immediately afterwards.

The first column of data represents the United States' overall violent crime rate (incidents per 1000 persons) while the second data column represents the serious violent juvenile crime rate (incidents per 1000 persons, ages 12-17).

1993 49.1 51.9 (Doom Released, December 1993)
1994 51.2 47.0 (Doom II Released, August 1994; Heretic Released, December 1994)
1995 46.1 36.3 (Hexen Released, November 1995)
1996 41.6 35.5 (Duke Nukem Released, January 1996; Quake Released, June 1996)
1997 38.8 30.7 (MDK Released, May 1997; Quake II Released, December 1997)
1998 36.0 26.5 (Unreal Released, May 1998; Heretic Released, November 1998)
1999 32.1 ???? (Unreal Tournament Released, Novmber 1999; Quake III Arena Released December 1999)

Interestingly enough, the youth violent crime rate began dropping sooner and more sharply than the overall population's.

What conclusion do I draw from this? If Daikatana, Duke Nukem Forever, and Max Payne shipped on schedule, the youth violent crime rate would be approaching zero.

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[This message has been edited by paulcs (edited 11 September 2000).]

[Snake-Eyes]

Statistics can prove anything, can't they, hehe.

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Ace

[paulcs]

No they can't. They cannot prove that the juvenile crime rate has gone up since the advent of the 3D shooter.

I'd like to see what the violent crime rate is for juvenile PC users. I bet it's right up there with Camp Fire Girls and nuns.

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[This message has been edited by paulcs (edited 12 September 2000).]

[skeeech]

You obviously haven't heard of the Halo Nuns oh wait that too is now an X-box only game...

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PIII/600 256MB, ASUS P3B-F,50+GB, G400MAX +12MB voodoo2, SB live!, DSL, etc....

[isochar]

Unless Bungie has recently changed their minds (ie. this week), Halo is still scheduled for release on the PC, X-Box, and Mac (heh)

[Joel]

And most of those commiting the crimes probably don't even own a violent 3D game much less a PC.

Joel

[Dyre]

Like Bungie could stop microsoft from saying its only for X-Box...

[Electric Amish]

Halo will be released for PC as well as X-box.

amish

[impact]

Ace is right. I bet you could find some statistics out there idicating that people with blue shoes travelling by plane have 400% more chance to survive their accidents.

[Arsa]

Heh... why are you talking only about X-Box and PC? IMHO video-games are more addictive to _average_ teen.

[Wishbone]

I actually heard that it was healthy for kids to play games as they help problem solving abilities and creativity.

[isochar]

I think the kids with problem solving and creative abilities have a greater tendency to play games than kids who don't...

[dZeus]

c'mon Paul, you should know better than just posting smoe nothing-saying statistics...

There is no conenction between the 2, unless there has been proven a real link. The above example is the most common mistake people make when interpreting statistics results.

I'll give you an interesting example:

it has been proven that over 80% of all people who drown ate an icecream the same day they drowned. That proves that eating an icecream greatly increases the chance that you'll drown the same day.

The error in the above interpretation is that there is no direct link between the 2. Eating icecreams has no influence whatsoever on the chance you'll drown. In the above example the interpreters 'forget' is most people drown on sunny days, when the amount of icecreams sold also increases a lot.


Personaly, I think the increase in youth crime is caused by the decrease of moral values learned to children by their parents.

Of course these violent pc games don't help them learning moral values, but so are many, _many_ other things.

However, I also stronly oppose a 'political correct' civilisation... I already am greatly annoyed by these tv shows/soaps where they put in _VERY_ pc stuff, like beverly hills 90210, etc... (and for he Dutch people: ik heb ook een hekel aan een hoop EO programma's die zo pc zijn).

In my opinion tv programs don't have to be pc, as long as they are a bit neutral, and not too politically uncorrect (and _some_ shows can be un-pc).

[This message has been edited by dZeus (edited 13 September 2000).]

[Gurm]

dZeus:

The problem is that youth crime is DECREASING!

- Gurm

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Listen up, you primitive screwheads! See this? This is my BOOMSTICK! Etc. etc.

[dZeus]

oh, then I am sorry Paul... I completely misinterpreted you post (talking about misinterpreting )