AG: Music & TV’s Impact on Violence in Bermuda
Increasingly graphic content in TV, movies and music is at least partly responsible for densitising young people to violence, Attorney General Michael Scott has said. The Minister went on to say that “Controlling the imagery needs to be examined as we plot solutions.”
In opening remarks delivered to the International Association of Prosecutors Bermuda conference [Nov. 18], Mr. Scott said he was pleased delegates would be focussing on the rise of gang violence during their meetings — saying the topic had particular relevance to the island.
The Attorney General and Justice Minister said there were many contributing factors to the emergence of the gangster sub-culture, including young people’s habit of ”over gourmandising” on a steady diet of violent media imagery.
“This has created among our modern citizens a pervasive numbness to violence and its infliction often in internecine conflicts,” he told visiting prosecutors from the US, Canada, the Caribbean and Korea. ”In less than a decade the medium of music cable and TV images has achieved in our region what the second amendment of the US constitution – the right to bear arms – took in a differing context centuries to accomplish.
“There are of course other contributing causes but as we meet together the icon of violence stalks our young adults and tragically our children’s minds daily beckoning them to be movie actors in their own violent episodes. Controlling the imagery needs to be examined as we plot solutions.”
Minister Scott’s full speech follows below:
Your Excellency Sir Richard Gozney, Mr. Chief Justice Mr. Richard Ground QC, Minister of National Security Senator the Hon. David A Burch, ED Ministerial Colleagues, Madam Counsel General Ms Grace Sheldon, Director of Public Prosecutions Mr. Rory Field, Permanent Secretaries Distinguished Prosecutorial Presidents, Prosecutors Directors and Deputies Law Enforcement Officers, Crown Counsels Delegates It is my pleasant duty to add to that of His Excellency and the Director my Welcome to this auspicious and timely conference.
As your journeys to Bermuda have brought you from our immediate region you will hail from Canada, the USA significantly from South Korea and the Caribbean and may I make as my first observation this what a relevant gathering and impressive assemblage of Minds that matter Minds from our region to deal with the subjects that challenge our region and demand our care and response.
The conference is under the auspices of the international association of prosecutors and is in fact the first such IAP conference in this region. In this regard may I first acknowledge the gravitas leant to this conference by the IAP and to commend Director of Public Prosecutions Mr. Rory Field for his energy and efforts and that of his team in mounting the Conference.
As you prepare to deliberate and think about our common regional concerns and challenges you have of course chosen a relevant and impressive suite of common regional concerns and challenges on which you as prosecutors have a unique perspective and as such I suggest you can provide relevant and positive solutions to same.
The Plenary Session we are all thrilled to note opens with an examination of Combating the Regional Rise in Gang violence perhaps the single most troubling development in our regional midst. I wish to thank you including this topic and I offer the context as host country. Bermuda like most Caribbean islands share common histories as 19th -20th century Paradises. Azure seas rolling into dazzling beach coastlines isolated geographically with hard working citizenry in economies developed within our respective frames of references that best suited our citizens, and who by and large remain characterized by our friendly and peaceable dispositions – 21 century violence amongst our shared peoples now mars communities as a character of our combined experience. That we now congress together to sketch in and pound out solutions is indeed POWERFUL
What has happened of late , well many things have occurred not the least of which has been a syndrome of over gormandizing on violent imagery which has created among our modern citizens a pervasive numbness to violence and its infliction often in internecine conflicts. In less than a decade the medium of music cable and TV images has achieved in our regions what the second amendment of the US constitution the right to bear arms took in a differing context centuries to accomplish.
There are of course other contributing causes but as we meet together the icon of violence stalks our young adults and tragically our children’s minds daily beckoning them to be movie actors in their own violent episodes. Controlling the imagery needs to be examined as we plot solutions.
As our case is new in the 21st Century so must we act anew technology and science must become our servants and allies in this campaign.
We can do well to take page from the journals of the scientific and medical community as we plot cures to this modern malaise- so that we conduct focused and fact based research and analysis into the causes of violent crime as we prod and poke and place under the microscopes and into the Petri dishes of our respective boroughs parishes and towns all of the evidence and together achieve break throughs of which we can stand behind and be proud.
The stakes could not be higher in each of our respective nations. Failure will spell increasing growth of internationalized technology supported organized crime, drug trafficking staging post from our shores will feed the demand for class “A” drugs – police operations of controlled deliveries must be carefully reviewed wherever they are used.
On the up side, the use of confiscated assets and bank notes to help in restorative justice programs and rehabilitation of the growing nations of victims of crime and drug addiction must be a pursuit that is always improved upon finally the deployment of technology in support of every aspect of law enforcement and to support the gathering of evidence needed by prosecutors to support their prosecutions cannot be under stated .
I am optimistic and I am passionately focused on the fight before us the opportunity for knowledge sharing and blue sky break throughs is awaiting us. I offer you our unswerving support to ensure that the processes of your meetings will be fully supported and my personal Best wishes for a most successful Session.
Let us not hesitate to seize this wonderful opportunity to act boldly to shape our common futures.
Thank you all and enjoy your stay in Bermuda.
The Hon Michal J Scott JP MP
Attorney General & Minister of Justice
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Category: All, Crime, Music, News
I dont know in some ways I guess these could be part of the factor .. I mean I love watching action movies and gangster movies they keep me on my toes the whole time but I would never even think about picking u a gun and shooting someone .. thats horrible.. I mean maybe they should up the ratings and make sure younger kids dont have access to these movies but even that is hard these days with the internet and parents who just dont care what there children watch .. Thats a sticky subject :s
I’m thinking the last part of that is the important one, S.
“…Parents who just don’t care…”
We can blame TV (By the way, does the phrase “controlling the imagery” more than a little chilling or is it just me?), Hip Hop, movies and video games, but really, it comes down to parents that just aren’t raising their kids.
For every violent movie, there are 5 with good messages.
There is a time and a place for everything and it’s up to the parents to make sure their kids aren’t watching something they think is inappropriate… and if they DO think it’s appropriate, then they have to take responsibility for the repercussions.
@UncleElvis – “For every violent movie, there are 5 with good messages” – That’s NOT true!!! Ninety percent of tv programs today are garbage. Violent movies are what sells. Companies are all about making profits. Good messages don’t sell. Even cartoons are filled with violent images.
I do agree that parents play a major role in making sure their kids grow-up to be productive and responsible people… but remember this, the Devil is working overtime.
Actually, it IS true.
You can’t actually be telling me that you think that there are more violent movies than ALL the dramas, comedies, romantic comedies, documentaries, etc. etc. etc. out there.
20% is, I think, a fair guesstimate.
And while I may agree that a large amount of tv may be garbage, I think, if you’re talking about violence, 90% is a MASSIVE overstatement.
As for “the Devil working overtime”… I don’t share this belief.
I’d rather talk about facts and things that can be verified.
When I grew up I watched cowboys & indians fighting on the TV all the time – but somehow never turned into a cold hearted assassin.
Parents are not raising their kids.
I definitely sympathise with you S. I’m sure you wouldn’t just jump up and shoot someone, but i’ll bet your are desensitized to the shooting thats going on. The younger generation is even more desensitized because they only know the gorey violence they see on tv. Regulating the imagery is an excellent idea. I support it 100%
It’s the white man’s fault – [seriously]. lol.
I think it is a factor as it desensitizes us to it and makes it more “common” but it certainly isn’t the primary one. However I cannot help but think that the fact that children are now routinely exposed to violence via movies, music, music videos and video games, helps to foster a behavior which is more accustomed to it, and accepts it as part of life. Media violence tends to glamorize shootings, murders and death and I think it might be more effective to confront our children with “real” violence and its consequences such as the news and maybe show them what gang life actually leads to, and what the consequences of their actions are. I don’t think demonizing violent movies will be particularly helpful as some youth love what is forbidden and disapproved of by their elders but I am worried that our society almost seems to require gratuitous violent images to satisfy some form of blood lust in the name of entertainment. We do need more responsible handling on the issue. For example I don’t believe violent video games make kids commit crimes but it will definitely polarize some already present “weakness” in some vulnerable ones . The point really should be why do we need to have gratuitous violence at all , are we all so morally bereft that the suffering of others ( albeit on film) is not only entertaining to us but pleasurable ? That seems quite a worrying trend. Same with the overtly sexualized content of most media ( advertising, music industry, film magazines etc..).We are not allowing our children a childhood any more and that to me is a tragedy.
Of course music and tv influences people’s behaviours – that’s not a new discovery. But since we have democracy and freedoms, music and tv programs cannot and will not be banned.
Some people don’t believe in the Bible, but the Bible predicted many years ago that the world would suffer great tribulations. Violence is not just a Bermuda thing, it’s a worldwide thing. Violence is here to stay – sad but true.
Only Jesus can bring us real peace. If you disagree, prove that mankind can eradicate violence. Mankind have being trying since the beginning of time and they continue to fail to eliminating violence and bring peace to the world.
As far as I’m concern, we haven’t seen anything yet. What we’re experiencing now is only the tip of the iceberg – You best believe it!
You’re right and even when people do believe in Jesus, well just look at all the killing done by Christian crusades in the 12th century in the NAME of Jesus and even killing between Protestants and Catholics in the 15th and 16th centuries who believed in the SAME god. That right there tells us there will always be violence, war, killing etc.
“I watched in glee as your kings and queens fought for ten decades for the gods they made.”
“Controlling the imagery”? No, just no. That statement makes me so uncomfortable. All arguments about free speech aside, you can’t ~control~ access to imagery in this information age, not with the internet.
I get so tired of hearing the cheap excuses: it’s because of TV/the media, or Jesus will save us. It’s passive and it’s unhelpful. There are many reasons for the increasing violence in Bermuda, and most of it has to do with the individual that’s doing the violence. They never developed adequate reasoning and conflict resolution skills, and their parent(s) left them without a good role model.
Minister Scott talks a lot, but this speech is all talk with no thought towards helpful action. Instead, I would commend the government for opening the debate at a high level by inviting people to write in with their opinions and ideas to help the situation.
All this talk about media impact amd possible censorship is doing nothing but giving bad parents a crutch and taking the resopnsibilty off them. What a load of BS.
Agreed.
That’s what happens when babies have babies. They act like their child is their friend. Children need disciplinary and role models for guidance. Not other childish people raising them.
If TV is so bad, then act like a parent and don’t let your child watch these programs.
straight-up!!!
I CONCUR!!!! It all boils down to parenting. When you have a child you have the choice to raise them to either MAKE or BREAK society!
Just the other day at my job a six year old child of my co-worker was in the office after school and she had him saying, “I’m a gangster” to all the chuckling ladies who thought it was “oh so cute.”
And we wonder why we find ourselves where we do today…
That is just plain sad.
I know what you mean. Things like that make me cringe!
While we can blame parents to a certain degree we cannot fully lay the blame at their feet.. yes we can blame them for their teachings during their formative years but when they reach a certain age (18 for example) when they are old enough to make their own choices I feel that a bit of the responsibility needs to fall off of the parents.. Life is about choices and some of these young men are choosing to do the wrong thing..I’m sure (and you can correct me if I’m wrong) but I’m sure that you do not have parents ‘home schooling’ their children on how to rob a bank or how to shoot people, how to wreck havoc in the community or how to commit “white collar crime” but these things have happen and continue to happen..Children can have the best foundation, christian home, two parents, well off, the best in education, but they can still run a foul of the law…we can’t blame their actions based on what they see on television…I love action movies..but I am not going around shooting people in their heads because they looked at me funny….I love horror movies but I am not going around chasing people with a chain saw or axe….Can we all just realize that these young men are CHOOSING to do what they do…..They have movies on TV with fireman in them..they can aspire to be fireman, there are movies with pilots in them, they can aspire to be pilots…..but they are aspiring to be gangsters and thugs because it is their CHOICE and that is what they are CHOOSING to do…..
YES! Regulate the imagery. I support it 100% you can’t buy pornography on any store shelf so why should this gorey disgusting imagery be easily available for our children to watch on BET and other violent images. Regulate it and regulate it fast!
White Jesus, will you sit on the censorship committee that decides what is and what is not decent? You sound like a completely reasonable person that knows exactly what I as a grown man, shouldn’t be allowed to watch and listen to.
Children having children. Marriages, with child, that are over long before the wedding is paid for. Polititians behaving badly. Parents behavinng badly. The internet acting as a baby sitter. Unmonitored TV acting as a baby sitter. The Gimme generation. Add it all up. Is there any surprise that children grow up to be lazy criminals who will soon be occupying prime real estate in the middle of Hamilton Harbour? Only in Bermuda.
@ Attorney General Michael Scott
SORRY MR.SCOTT THESE ARE EXCUSES FOR PEOPLE NOT WANTING TO DO THEIR JOBS IN SOCIETY.THESE ARE EXCUSES THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND SINCE I WAS A YOUNG TEENAGER WHEN EVERYONE BLAMED RAP MUSIC WHEN IT CAME OUT.US AS A SOCIETY WE USE THESE AS EXCUSES.
It comes down to parenting and the education you recieve while your young.ITS DOWN RIGHT LAZY TO BLAME MUSIC AND TV AND MOVIES FIX THE DAMN GOVENMENT EDUCATION WHICH IS A DAMN JOKE! I AM ONLY IN MY EARLY 30′S DONT HAVE ANY CHILDREN YET BUT I WOULDNT LET THEM NEAR A PUBLIC SCHOOL I WOULD RATHER THEM GO TO A HOME SCHOOL OR SOMEWHERE ELSE .FIX THE DAMN POLICE FORCE SO YOUNG MEN ARE STOPPED FROM A CERTAIN LIFESTYLE WHILE THEY ARE YOUNG. IF YOU DONT LIKE WHATS GOING ON IN THE HOUSEHOLD GET POLICE TO SIT ON COUCHES AND VISIT FAMILIES ON A REGULAR BASIS AND MAYBE THEY WOULD TAKE OFF THEIR TELEVISION SETS.CONCENTRATE ON PROACTIVE GOV AND POLICING THAT VISIT SCHOOLS AND CONCENTRATE ON THE TROUBLED TEENS START MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS BETWWN POLICE AND THE YOUNG MEN ,SO WHEN THEY GO HOME AND WATCH A MOVIE THATS ALL IT IS JUST A FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT.WHAT YOU GOING TO CALL HOLLYWOOD AND SAY EXCUSE ME CAN YOU STOP MAKING GREAT ACTION FILMS BECAUSE ITS DESTROYING OUR YOUNG MEN IN BERMUDA,CALL UP ACTORS AND SAY PLEASE DONT MAKE ANY MORE GANGSTER FILMS BECAUSE ITS RUINING OUR SOCIETY.YOU REALLY THINK THAT WOULD STOP VIOLENCE????STOP THE LAZY TALK AND LETS ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND DO SOME DAMN WORK STOP BLAMING PEOPLE,THATS ALL WE DO IN BERMUDA BLAME EVERYONE ELSE ITS NEVER OUR RESPONSIBILTY,,,,ITS NEVER OUR FAULTS, TIME TO STOP THIS TALK AND GROW UP ,
IF I SEE A HORROR ON TV AND I THINK ITS TO VIOLENT YOU KNOW WHAT I DO? CHANGE THE DAMN CHANNEL!!!!!!!!!!! BEEN DOING THAT SINCE I WAS 5 YEARS OLD!!!!!!!!! DOESNT TAKE A DAMN SCIENTIST TO FIGURE THAT ONE OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FFS MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In university at the moment I am taking a class called Sociology: Crime and Society. It’s so interesting to see how much of these theories can apply to our society in Bermuda. Yes, media does influence us its inevitable BUT the biggest influences in our lives are our parents; the home is the primary place in which people learn how to deal with various different circimstances. If we do something wrong and get negative reinforcements its most likely we will not ever do it again but if we recieve positive reinforcements or don’t get any consequences whatsoever the behavior continues. We have to realize that we must punish when we do something wrong. Without my parents telling me what is and isn’t inappropriate I probably wouldn’t be at a prestigous university right now.
PS. If certain media is blocked, its against freedom of speech laws, which is illegal and it will never pass any human rights laws. The only place that it could ever work and actually is working is China because its a communist society.