Crime & Violence Speech Sba

Madam Chairman, Mr. John Green, Principal, other distinguished guests. Good Afternoon.
First I
must say how honoured I am to be invited to your PTA meeting as guest speaker to offer you an
insight on this terrible monster called crime and violence that has taken over our country. I am sure
that all of you sitting there is as concerned about crime and violence as much as any good thinking
citizen of our island.
Whether we believe it or not, we in our homes and daily habbits, have played a part in what is
happening today in our society. Our department recently did a study and the results have indicated
that one of the major contribution to the rise in crime and violence is the exposure via popular media.
Crime and Violence in television has been an issue since the beginning of popular media. Many
people think that a lot of Crime and Violence go hand in hand with shows and movies seen on
television. The section of the paper will discuss TV violence and how it effects young viewers.

Our children watch an average of three to four hours of television daily. Television can be a powerful
influence in developing value systems and shaping behavior. Unfortunately, much of today's
television programming is violent. Hundreds of studies of the effects of TV violence on children and
teenagers have found that children may:
1.· Become "immune" to the horror of violence;

·2. Gradually accept violence as a way to solve problems;
·3. Imitate the violence they observe on television; and
4. · Identify with certain characters, victims and/or victimizers
Children follow what they see done. If they see something done on TV portrayed in a good
light, or at least in a way that is not very detrimental, then they feel like it may be a good thing. If they
respect the person or people in what they see, then they would want to emulate them. This can be
good, if children are not barraged with violent act after violent act. According to an American
Psychological Association task force report on television and American society (Huston, et al.,
1992), by the time the average child leaves primary school, he or she will have witnessed at least
8,000 murders and more than 100,000 other assorted acts of violence on television.
Studies have been done to show that children that watch violent shows are more likely to
behave violent in their adult life than without violent shows. Children that watch these shows are
unable to distinguish right from wrong in real life when comparing it to a world where the rules of real
life do not fully apply. The differences between the real and the fictional are hard for a young child to
see.
Often, the media show violence acts in which violent characters are not punished for their
actions. Programs that contain violence give children many ideas for certain violent practices.
Obviously, many media programs teach that violent behaviour is good by receiving rewards for
it. Justifying violent behaviour is a significant problem. It increases the chances that children
imitating it and suggests to children what society values are.
I hope you are getting the picture. It therefore means that as adults we need to be more
responsible and stop allowing our children to have free access to media devices. If we are not
monitoring what they are doing then they are free to view just about anything. Most media
productions are laced with sexual and violent scenes as this is what the market calls for. But as
stated earlier its effects are devastating as we are presently experiencing today the high level of
crime and violence.
If you’re like many parents at some point you and your child have watched television and seen
extreme violence occurring in the world or your community. These experiences, viewed
repeatedly on the local news, can create intense emotions and be traumatic. So I would like to
give you some tips that hopefully can reduce the risk of your children ending up displaying
violent and criminal behavior.
1. Take care of yourself. Take care of yourself so you can take care of your children. Be a
model for your children on how to manage traumatic events. Keep regular schedules for
activities such as family meals and exercise to help restore a sense of security and normalcy.
2. Talk with your child. Talking to your children about their worries and concerns is the first step
to help them feel safe and begin to cope with the events occurring around them. What you talk
about and how you say it does depend on their age, but all children need to be able to know you
are there listening to them.
 Start the conversation; let them know you are interested in them and how they are
coping with the information they are getting.
 Listen to their thoughts and point of view; don't interrupt--allow them to express their
ideas and understanding before you respond.
 Express your own opinions and ideas without putting down theirs; acknowledge that it is
okay to disagree.
 Remind them you are there for them to provide safety, comfort and support. Give them a
hug.
3. Take "news breaks". Your children may want to keep informed by gathering information about
the event from the internet, television, or newspapers. It is important to limit the amount of time
spent watching the news because constant exposure may actually heighten their anxiety and
fears. Also, scheduling some breaks for yourself is important; allow yourself time to engage in
activities you enjoy.
4. Keep home a safe place. Children, regardless of age, often find home to be a safe haven
when the world around them becomes overwhelming. During times of crisis, it is important to
remember that your children may come home seeking the safe feeling they have being there.
Help make it a place where your children find the solitude or comfort they need. Plan a night
where everyone participates in a favorite family activity.
5. Watch for signs of stress, fear or anxiety. After a traumatic event, it is typical for children (and
adults) to experience a wide range of emotions, including fearfulness, shock, anger, grief and
anxiety. Your children's behaviors may change because of their response to the event. They
may experience trouble sleeping, difficulty with concentrating on school work, or changes
in appetite. This is normal for everyone and should begin to disappear in a few months.
Encourage your children to put their feelings into words by talking about them or journaling.
Some children may find it helpful to express their feelings through art.
Thank you again for inviting me and let us hope and pray that this Crime & Violence monster will
go away.

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Madam Chairman, Mr. John Green, Principal, other distinguished guests. Good Afternoon.

1.· Become "immune" to the horror of violence;

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