by Christopher Docherty

Created on: November 21, 2010   Last Updated: November 22, 2010

When Welsh hip-hop group "Goldie Lookin Chain" released their tongue in cheek 2004 hit, "Guns Don't Kill People, Rappers Do", they were not merely writing for comedic value - they were making a point.

And 'gangster rap' is only one form of media demonized by the finger-pointers of today's society. And their frustration is understandable. Gone are the days of 60's, when teenage counter-culture stood for peace and liberty. Instead, today's teenage society is associated with the mindless recreational violence and vandalism of which many of us are all-too-aware.

However, it is clear that most who have contributed to this debate are limited to the experience of viewing these antics from the safe-side of a double-glazed window, large garden and security fence.

To suggest that the media is responsible for crime is not only naive, it is dangerous. In blaming the media for crime, we are neglecting the underlying problems prevalent in today's society. Having grown up in a council estate in Glasgow - Europe's murder capital - I have been unfortunate enough to witness many of those around me turn to crime. I have witnessed friends and even family members turn to this path for a number of different reasons - and I can assure you.. in not a single one of those cases was the influence of the media an important factor. Indeed, in some cases, said people have been so poor that they could not even afford a television set for themselves and their family.

So what are the causes of crime? Alcoholism, drug abuse, poverty, overcrowding, religion, lack of job opportunities, social exclusion, broken homes and a territorial gang culture nurtured over generations are just some of the causes which I have witnessed on my own doorstep. Indeed, I could write a whole article simply on Glasgow's own social problems, but that is a different debate entirely.

What is clear from this though is that blaming the media for crime is nothing more than a cop-out. Whether it be mothers and fathers searching for an excuse so that they are not made to look like bad parents, or whether it be the government's attempt at placing wallpaper over a crack in the wall, there are many hidden agendas which must be cast to the side if we are to ever come to terms with the causes of crime in today's society - let alone fix them.

Of course, crime is not a phenomenon linked solely to poverty or problems in the home. There are cases where individuals with seemingly no reason to push the boundaries of society have

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