The rise in gun violence and homicides among individuals under 18 is a complex issue with multiple contributing factors. An argument can be made that a combination of insufficient parental oversight, pervasive exposure to violent video games, and the increasing use of high-potency THC creates a detrimental mixture that has elevated the risk of teen gun violence to outrageously high levels.
Lack of Parental Oversight as a Foundational Issue:
Effective parental oversight provides structure, guidance, and intervention, which are crucial during adolescent development. Research indicates that parental disengagement can be a risk factor for youth gun carrying, often mediated through association with delinquent peers and increased externalizing problems. When supervision is lacking, adolescents may have more unmonitored access to various influences and fewer checks on emerging problematic behaviors. This absence of oversight can create an environment where other risk factors, such as extensive violent media consumption and substance use, can take root and escalate without intervention. If parents are not aware of their child's online activities, social circles, or substance use, they cannot effectively mitigate potential dangers.
Violent Video Gaming and Normalization of Aggression:
While the debate on violent video games and real-world violence is ongoing, some studies suggest a correlation between exposure to violent video games and increased aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, as well as decreased empathy. Proponents of this link argue that prolonged and immersive engagement with violent games can desensitize young people to violence, potentially blurring the lines between virtual actions and real-world consequences. For an adolescent brain still developing its capacity for impulse control and moral reasoning, constant exposure to simulated violence—especially when unmoderated by parental discussion or limits—could normalize aggression as a problem-solving tool. Some research posits that while not a sole cause, violent gaming can be one among several risk factors contributing to aggressive tendencies.
High-Potency THC and Impaired Adolescent Development:
The adolescent brain undergoes critical development, particularly in regions governing decision-making, impulse control, and emotional regulation. THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis, can interfere with this development. Modern cannabis often has significantly higher THC concentrations than in previous decades, and this high potency is linked to increased risks of adverse effects, including cognitive impairment, anxiety, paranoia, and, in vulnerable individuals, psychosis. For adolescents, THC exposure can disrupt memory, learning, and executive functions. Impaired judgment, reduced impulse control, and potential psychiatric effects stemming from high-potency THC use could lower the threshold for aggressive or violent reactions in volatile situations.
The Compounding Effect:
The argument for this "mixture" as a cause posits that these factors do not operate in isolation but can have a compounding or synergistic effect. A lack of parental oversight may allow for unchecked, excessive consumption of violent video games and experimentation with high-potency THC. The potential desensitization to violence and heightened aggression from gaming, combined with the impaired judgment, emotional dysregulation, and possible psychiatric distress from THC, could create a significantly higher risk for an adolescent to engage in impulsive, violent acts, including those involving firearms. In this view, the absence of parental guidance prevents the identification and mitigation of these escalating risks, allowing a vulnerable young person to move towards a path of violence.
Author: Brian J. Boeheim
Brought to you by:
Boeheim Freeman Law - Criminal Defense Attorney - Tulsa, Oklhaoma - 918-884-7791
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