Violent video games do not cause violent or aggressive behaviors, they just don’t.

According to an article published on  the PBS website by Henry Jenkins, a professor at MIT, more than 90 percent of men and 40 percent of women play video games, yet according to federal crime statistics the rate of juvenile crime is at a 30-year low.

If video games cause aggressive behavior in young adults, there should be a surge in violent crimes. If the majority of the population is playing these games, and they’re causing people to act out aggressively, then it would be shown through young people running rampant through the streets.

There is the argument that events like the Columbine shooting were caused by violent video games, but that’s certainly not the case. Research shows that young people who plan such acts of violence tend to already be mentally unstable, usually due to a rough home life or chemical imbalance. To say a video game like DOOM, which at that time looked like giant pixilated blobs, caused such a tragedy is doing an injustice to young people who have severe mental issues.

According to Jenkins’ article, almost 62 percent of the console market is geared toward those who are above the age of 18. The industry is catered toward adults who have already established the difference between what’s right and wrong or real and fake. The real issue would not be whether the video games cause violence, but whether or not parents are purchasing rated mature games for their children without properly explaining or creating a basis of reality first.

The ability to play video games online in either a head-to-head or cooperative setting allows for relationships to blossom. Being able to work together on a mission not only creates strong bonds and socialization, but also eliminates anti-social behaviors. According to Christopher Ferguson in an article published in Psychiatric Quarterly, “It may be that these games may prove valuable as learning tools, at minimum in areas related to visuospatial skills. For example, one game with violent content called Re-Mission, has been demonstrated to lead to greater treatment adherence, quality of life, cancer knowledge and self-efficacy in   youths with cancer who were randomized to play the game in comparison to youths who did not play the game.”

Yes, parent’s should watch what their children are playing and explain what’s real and what isn’t, but they certainly can’t blame the video games anymore for aggressive behaviors.