Slog - Comments on Movies Keep Violent Thugs Off the Streets http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street Or so says the (Mormon!) author of a new study: Professor [Gordon] Dahl [of UCSD] and the paper’s other author, Stefano DellaVigna, an economist at the University of California, Berkeley, attach precise numbers to their argument: Over the last decade, they say, the showing of violent films in the United States has decreased assaults by an average of about 1,000 a weekend, or 52,000 a year.... Analyzing the data, the authors found that “on days with a high audience for violent movies, violent crime is lower.” From 6 p.m. to midnight on weekends — when the largest numbers of people... Copyright 2008 Mon, 07 Jan 2008 09:42:20 -0800 Mon, 07 Jan 2008 15:59:34 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Mr. Poe I can't wait for the next 'new study'! It's liking shooting heroin in my temple!

]]> Mr. Poe http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889404 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889404 Film Mon, 07 Jan 2008 09:48:02 -0800 Comment by Mr. Poe *Like. Fuck!

]]> Mr. Poe http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889405 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889405 Film Mon, 07 Jan 2008 09:48:32 -0800 Comment by Dee in SF Mr. Poe shoots heroin in his temple.
That explains a lot, doesn't it?

]]> Dee in SF http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889410 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889410 Film Mon, 07 Jan 2008 09:51:02 -0800 Comment by Mr. Poe You should try it. I recommend writing a letter first.

]]> Mr. Poe http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889414 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889414 Film Mon, 07 Jan 2008 09:54:04 -0800 Comment by kinkos this has to be the most dubious study i've ever seen

]]> kinkos http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889418 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889418 Film Mon, 07 Jan 2008 09:59:32 -0800 Comment by Mahtli69 The obvious question: How big is the spike in violent crime after movies let out?

]]> Mahtli69 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889432 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889432 Film Mon, 07 Jan 2008 10:14:56 -0800 Comment by Rotten666 I heart junk science!

]]> Rotten666 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889442 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889442 Film Mon, 07 Jan 2008 10:27:46 -0800 Comment by tsm @6 - The problem with that is that in some areas, late shows might end around the same time as last call at the bars. Among other problems.

]]> tsm http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889445 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889445 Film Mon, 07 Jan 2008 10:29:27 -0800 Comment by David Wright Mahtli69 poses an important question, but if you read the NYT article, you'll see that the authors deal with it: "Crime is not merely delayed until after the credits run, they say. On the Monday and Tuesday after packed weekend showings of violent films, no spike in violent crime emerges to compensate for the peaceful hours at the movies. Even a few weeks later, there is no evidence of a compensating resurgence, they say."

]]> David Wright http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889452 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889452 Film Mon, 07 Jan 2008 10:33:31 -0800 Comment by Greg @9: Curiouser and curiouser.

]]> Greg http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889586 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889586 Film Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:43:33 -0800 Comment by infrequent while perhaps one should consider the beliefs of the researcher, notice here that "morman" is included to discredit the source.

and i also like how "science" is better than religion because religion is just crazy beliefs, but any science that people don't like, well, that's just "junk" science. okay.

]]> infrequent http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889639 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c889639 Film Mon, 07 Jan 2008 12:11:49 -0800 Comment by max solomon if there's an inherent proclivity to violence for some groups of young men, and seeing it on-screen placates that proclivity, then its all good.

thing is, guns make the violence we do get deadlier, whereas in the past men would just fight or stab each other.

]]> max solomon http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c890530 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/movies_keep_violent_thugs_off_the_street#c890530 Film Mon, 07 Jan 2008 15:59:34 -0800