With sweaty palms and a facial expression that slowly changes from excitement to embarrassment, the child shoots the innocent bystander. Friends around the room laugh and make fun as the words "Game Over" appear on the screen. A civilian's blood curling scream is projected from the television, and it lingers until "New Game" is selected. This scene is an everyday occurrence in the typical American household. America's youth are harming each other, and juvenile crime rates are up. The media is to blame.

The American youth is more violent and is involved in more shootings and violent acts now than ever before in recent history. In 1993, a study was conducted which surveyed 357 seventh-eighth graders on their preferences on five categories of video games. Thirty-two percent selected "fantasy violence", 17% selected "human violence", and only 2% selected "educational games" ("Children" 39). "According to the FBI, juveniles accounted for 19% of all arrests, 14% of...