The court banned American teen video games with violence

It would seem that long ago there were those days when the problem of the influence of computer games on the aggressiveness of children and adolescents was seriously discussed. Allegedly, having played enough at Doom or Kvaku, the teenager grows furious, takes a firearm - and goes to school to collect frags in the corridors and classrooms.

But no, there are still those who believe in the "pumping" of human aggression through computer games. Probably, these people never in their lives have seen professional gamers who do not offend the flies in life, but they easily neutralize a virtual terrorist with a virtual bomb with masterful headshots.

Dough Page County (Illinois) Court issued an unusual verdict against a 16-year-old sophomore at Lake Park High School. In the Russian system, this corresponds to approximately the 10th grade of high school (Americans go to school up to the age of 18). So, Judge Robert Anderson (Robert Anderson) imposed a house arrest on the guy, during which he forbade playing violent video games. “You can play any part of Mario Kart if you want,” the judge added.

What was the fault of a minor resident of the city of Roselle, a western suburb of Chicago? As the court established, on February 23, 2018, a teenager played one of the cruel games - and apparently posted a video in the group chat room where he plays this game, accompanied by the text of the message: “You should all shut up about these school firing, otherwise I will arrange one. ”

One of the vigilant classmates saw this message and told the adults, and they said to the police. February 26, the boy was taken into custody. The trial did not last long. On February 27, the guy was convicted in two cases of public disorder (disorderly conduct) and a fourth-class felony (class 4 felony).

Judge Anderson especially praised a classmate who reported the violation to "trusted adults." According to the judge, this is an instructive and commendable example of the fact that you should never be silent if you witnessed a crime: the rule “see something, say something”, which children are taught from an early age.

In addition to violent games, he was banned from using social networks for the duration of his sentence and ordered his parents to hand over a mobile phone to at least until March 12, 2018, when the next hearings take place.

Police searched the house of a teenager, but did not find a weapon.

The public defender tried to convince the judge that the published message was just a joke, and his client was not at all going to actually arrange school shooting or threaten his classmates. However, the judge rejected the arguments of the public defender and announced the verdict. He warned the teenager's parents to ensure that the rules were followed. If someone from the neighbors notices that the guy starts the game with violence on the computer, then he will not be happy, as it is very likely that he will receive the next sentence with serving a closed type correctional facility.

“We take very seriously any threat to the safety of our students, teachers, and school personnel,” said District Attorney Robert Berlin. “The recent tragedy at Marjorie Stoneman’s school, Douglas, is still fresh in our memory, and we must do everything possible so that schoolchildren and teachers do not fear for their safety in school. The atmosphere of fear in the classrooms prevents teachers from teaching, and schoolchildren from studying. The case against this student shows parents that they must control the use of social media by their children. ”

Probably, the authorities believe that the judicial reprisal of a 16-year-old schoolboy, who was fed up with the discussion of violence in a chat room, will reduce the atmosphere of fear, reassure children and parents, and the boy himself will never allow himself to joke in this way. The justice system does not understand jokes. Moreover, they are not understood by intimidated parents who are terrorized every day from TV screens, news media and social networks with frightening news and details of acts of violence.

Regarding this extraordinary case, a press release has been published on the official website of Doo Page County. Teenagers are warned that any such threats of violence are criminal offenses and will be prosecuted.

In a press release, the authorities did not say which of the two schools in the district the offender was studying, but many parents chose not to let their children go to school the next day, writes the Chicago Tribune .