NLC summit investigates link between media and violence
Tuesday, city leaders, law enforcement officials, researchers, and media and entertainment industry representatives gathered in Indianapolis to discuss the relationship between media violence and rising crime among juveniles. Sponsored by the Washington-based National League of Cities (NLC), the Media Violence Summit was videotaped and is available online at http://www.ncntv.org.
“In recent years, our communities have witnessed far too many incidents of extreme violence by and against children and youth,” said Bart Peterson, Indianapolis mayor and president of NLC. “Certainly a number of factors contribute to these disturbing trends, but a prominent concern that is increasingly capturing the attention of both researchers and policymakers is the heightened exposure of children to graphic violence in video games, television, movies, and music.”
Summit participants recommended a number of courses of action, including increasing awareness among parents about “V” chips in television sets that allow parents to block violent programming. NLC is planning future events that will focus on raising awareness, stimulating local discussions in communities across the country, and partnering with industry and other interested organizations.
Peterson has made reducing crime rates a top concern during his term as NLC president. In an exclusive interview with American City & County in November, he discussed the rising juvenile crime rates in Indianapolis and measures local officials have taken to try to reduce those numbers.
See “Crime spike concerns Indianapolis mayor” https://americancityandcounty.com/administration/government_crime_spike_concerns/index.html