Violent Games Help Downward Crime Trend

If the headline alone doesn't have mini-van mommies running, it being true will probably have them up and cuddling to their Snuggies at night. But according to a study from the University of Texas, yep its true.

If you didn't wake up this morning, ate a big mushroom to be normal adult size, jumped on a turtle hoping a coin would pop out, and then jumped down a giant green tube for your daily commute, congrats! You are one of the millions of Americans who played video games and didn't become screwed up because of them.

Maybe I get annoyed that I have to show ID, when I'm 26 with facial hair, every time a new Call of Duty comes out.  Or maybe its cause I played video games growing up and I'm not out robbing convenience stores. Or perhaps cause its 2011, and there are still states trying to ban the sale of 'violent games'.

In the last 20 years, crime rates have went down. While things like camera-phones may deter criminals, researchers say video games may play a role. Whereas shooting the living hell out of your buddy during COD, can actually relieve aggression. The researchers also note that the amount of time playing video games, takes time away that they could be out committing crime.

And sure we've had our 'outbursts' during a bad round while online, the researchers say that is short lived. Most aggression viewed in the lab was only immediately after game play. So the slew of words your buddy hurled at you, totally normal behavior.

So once again, science proves something we already knew. Someone got a paycheck for proving common sense. Hell, the Mythbusters made a career of it.

(kotaku.com)