Although violence is not a new concept in society, it has become a much bigger problem than in years past. An increase in violent tendencies can be attributed to many factors, including violence in the media. Mass violent attacks have become much more widespread, and violence among young people (the main demographic of violent media) is on the rise. The causes of violence are multifactorial and range from mental illness to family life at home. But research has shown that violent media also plays an important role in sparking violent behavior. Research has shown a strong correlation between at-risk youth and violent behavior. Violent media surrounds children today through a multitude of mediums, from television to video games. Prolonged exposure to violent media becomes a risk factor and can cause children to become desensitized to violence. As time passes, violence becomes a fact of life and children lose the ability to sympathize with the victim. Exposure to violent media does not in itself induce violence but is a risk factor and can strongly influence those who are predisposed to a violent nature. Through an analysis of more than 200 studies, researchers showed that the short-term effect of exposure to violent media had a moderate to large correlation. Violence in the media can have a quantifiable, negative effect on children as they learn to see violence as a means of positively resolving conflicts. According to Strasburger and Grossman (2001) perpetrators of recent school shootings have been exposed to and fascinated by many different forms of violent media. Children are more susceptible to the influence of their surroundings and, unlike adults, are not always able to distinguish between reality and fiction. Violent media has a clear negative effect on the... paper medium... they steal the same status as their idol. Overall, violent media places our children in unnecessary danger. There is no way to end violence in the media, but by understanding its effects on children, society can develop new ways to protect our youth. Never before in history has the media been so widespread and accessible. Human beings are most vulnerable and easily influenced when they are children. However, children are exposed to an unnecessary amount of gratuitous violence in the media for excessive periods of time within a week (28 hours per week). This is time that could be spent playing outdoors and developing positive social skills; instead it is spent learning violent behavior. This can potentially lead to aggressive and violent behavior in real life. Violent media has negative effects on children's development and can have a serious negative influence on their behavior.