Title: Watching Violence in the Media Does Not Cause Crime | Psychology Today
Headings: Watching Violence in the Media Does Not Cause Crime
Stanton E. Samenow Ph.D.
Watching Violence in the Media Does Not Cause Crime
The personality of the viewer is key

Content: And yet, the effect of media attention on suicide does lead to copycat suicides. Obviously not everyone who hears about a suicide will run out and commit suicide, but for those already leaning that way, reports of suicide in the media do act as an inspiration. That's why responsible media outlets make a point of downplaying reports of suicide so as to avoid a suicide “contagion”. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copycat_suicide
Also, just because not everyone who watches a violent crime runs out and commits a violent crime, does not mean that violent media is not a causal factor. Other factors are much more important than violent media (obviously), such as a violent and abusive family background. Not everyone who smokes goes on to get lung cancer, and some people who get lung cancer have never smoked. Does that prove that smoking is not a causal factor in lung cancer? Interestingly, between the mid-1960s and the late 1970s (just as the first generation of children exposed to violent TV came of age) the American homicide rate doubled and stayed high until 1990. Between 1990 and 2000 the homicide rate dropped back to their mid-1960s level. Why the drop?