Does Television Kill? Testing a Period-Characteristic Model
This study examined whether historical percentages of U.S. households with television predict homicide arrest rates from 1960 through 2000. Controlling for age and birth cohort, increased television penetration 15 years earlier predicted greater arrest rates. This possible effect appeared to decline among older age groups. Two interpretations are discussed. First, increased penetration may have coincided with the causes of crime. Second, television may increase homicide arrests. Also examined is the possible confounding or mediating influence of marriage-divorce ratios and unemployment rates. Controls for these did not eliminate all evidence of a television-arrest rate association.