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Violent crime decreased despite violent video game sales

Contrary to other laboratory and correlational studies, recent data demonstrate the incidence of violent crime either decreased or was unrelated to the sale or release of violent video games.

Researchers conducted four analyses to track violent crime rates using data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports. Two analyses compared data on video game sales between 1978 and 2011 and 2007 and 2011. Of the two studies, one compared annual sales with crime; the other compared monthly data.

In the third analysis, trends in keyword searches related to game playing tips for violent games were compared with crime rates. The fourth study focused on violent crime data following the release of three popular video games: Call of Duty: Black Ops and two versions of Grand Theft Auto.

Annually, the commission of violent crimes was not shown to be related to video game sales. Researchers were surprised, however, to see a decrease in aggravated assaults in relation to video game sales in the monthly analysis and video game tip keyword search trends. Homicides decreased in the months following the release of the three games in the fourth study.

Patrick M. Markey, PhD, told Healio.com/Psychiatry the data were analyzed in several ways.

“We also looked at things like when the most violent video games got released, what happened 1 month later, 2 months later or 3 months later. What we found, surprisingly, was not that there was an increase or that it was unrelated, but that there was a decrease [in violent crime] consistently,” he said. “No matter how we examined violent video games there always seemed to be a decrease in either homicide or aggravated assault either right after their release or a couple of months after their release.”

Markey said other studies have focused on video games and some of the most shocking violent crimes, like school shootings, but these crimes are rare and playing violent video games is a very common activity. He said one study showed that 70% of youth play violent video games on a regular basis.

“So when we find that a person who commits a school shooting also happens to play violent video games, that’s not surprising. What would actually be more surprising is if we found [violent offenders] who don’t play violent video games.”

Disclosure: The researchers reported no relevant financial disclosures.