Hard time vs. game time, pt. ii

Some time has passed since I talked about video games in jail (click here for a refresher). Time for reflection and introspection… and a round of James Bond 007 on Nintendo GameCube…

(45 minutes later)

Well, I’m back from a ‘healthy’ shoot ‘em up gaming session of the 007 variety. I thought that if I engaged myself in the issue, i.e. playing violent video games, I might have a better perspective on which to base my opinions.

Overall, I’ve gotta say, I feel pretty good. I killed about 104 enemies, made 2 stunning escapes, and went through thousands of rounds of ammunition. Not bad for a rookie. “James” would be proud.

I also learned many valuable lessons from my play time, including:
(1) If you’re ever in a jam, just blow things up.
(2) Bikini-clad women adore it when you kill ‘bad’ guys.
(3) Life is easy, just remember to save your game.

Definitely the type of things we should be advocating to those in our correctional system who, one hopes, will soon reintegrate into normal society. Right?

Not if you ask the Governor of Kansas. According to this article in the Kansas City Star, he’s not so pleased that several correctional facilities in the U.S. not only allow, but also aid in the purchasing of violent video games for use by inmates.

Interestingly, such purchases – funded by the inmates but administered by the facility – were approved to provide inmates with peaceful recreation activities. Notes one Kansas corrections worker:

It has a good effect on helping us run the prison and make sure they're busy and not trying to work on ways to escape or harm others…That's kind of our bottom line — public safety.

That’s absolutely ridiculous. If inmates want to play FIFA Soccer in their spare time, I’m all for that. But there is no reason why inmates should be allowed to practice their skills in robbery, assault, or even murder while behind bars.

The fact that these actions are taking place in a cartoon world is irrelevant. May I remind everyone that the majority of soldiers in the U.S. Army fight countless virtual wars in simulation war games before they are sent away to participate in the real thing. Such would not be the case if the military wasn’t convinced that virtual killing is adequate training for actual killing.

If people are up in arms all the time about children being exposed to violence in video games, how is it that we don’t seem to be too concerned about violent games within our jails?

This isn’t a question about the rights of inmates. This is about the toleration of violence in an environment where violence must be condemned. It’s simply unacceptable.

posted by G E @ 8:50 p.m.