[COMMITTEE PRINT] 1*i iii [ i _ I IRMILIIII|RI I 84TH CONGRESS SENATE REo- ld Session I fENAT MOTION PICTURES AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY INTERIM REPORT A OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE JUVENILE DELINQUENCY TO THE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY PURSUANT TO S. Res. 62 as extended 84tk Congress RELATIVE TO THE INVESTIGATION OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN THE UNITED STATES Printed for tLe use of the Committee on the Judiciary UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 1956 &4, i 70 COMMITTEE ON TIlE JUDICIARY JAMES 0. EASiTLANIP, Misalssippl, ('atrmon Et;TES4 KEFAUVER, Tennessee ALEXANDER WILEY, Wisconsin OLIN I). JOHNSTON, South Carolina WILLIAM LONGER, North Dakota THOMAS C. HENNINGS, Ja., Missouri WILLIAM E. JENNER, Indiana JOIN L. McCLELLAN, Arkansas ARTHUR V. WATKINS, Utah PRICE DANIEL, Texas EVERETT McKINLEY DIRKSEN, Illinois JOSEPH C. O'MAIONEY, Wyoming HERMAN WELKER, Idaho MATTHEW M. NEELY, West Virginia JOHN MARSHALL BUTLER, Maryland MiOmmmn-r To INVESTIGATE JUVENILE DINQ1TENCY IN THE UNITED STATES ESTES KEFAUVER, Tennessee, Chairmwan THOMAS C. HENNINGS, Ja., Missouri WILLIAM LANGER, North Dakota PRICE DANIEL,. Texas ALEXANDER WILEY, Wisconsin JAMcs H. Boso, GOferal Counsel 11 CONTENTS P... I. Introduction , Motion pictures are a trt of the media of mass communticaton investigation ------------------------------------------ I Letters express concern over excessive violence in motion picturest... .. .... ... .. .. 2 Concern exprnwA-d over objectionable motion-picture adver- tiiing ....................................... ............ 3 11. Has there beeoj an, increase in violezie and brutality in motion pictures_. ..------------------------------ 4 Motion-picture industry admits overemphasis on excessive violence . ------------------------------ 4 Foreign countries officially object to violence in American flm---------------...---------------------------- r.xanples of alleged film violations of the Productioi, Code. 5 I1. Factois underlying the present trend toward criminal violence and Palacious',eps in motion pictures ----------------------------- 6 Factors involved-.--------------------------------- 6 Argunleitts against unrestricted "realism" in motion pictures-. 7 IV. ithlatior ship between brutality and violence in motion pictures and adolescent behavior- 8 IRIun,z of testimony of Dr. Freerick C. Hacker and Dr. Marcel Frymn ---------------------------------------- 8 Results of a surv.,y of professional clinicians by the subcom- it,...................---------------------------11 Effects of crime and violence filns at the cultural level ------- 12 Differntial.effects of crime and violence movio,on children.. 12 Identification with movie-type heroes resulting in unadaptive behavior .--------------------- ---------------------- 14 Motion pictures as a part of miss media may not only initiate but sustain delinquent activities------------------------- 16 The concept of crime does not pay in motion picture --------- 17 Techniques of crime can be learned from movies- -..-------- 17 Conclusions regarding violence and brutality in motion pictures. 18 V. Motion-picture advertising ------------------------------------ 19 Editorial criticism of motion-picture advertising ------ 20 Alle;ed violations of the Motion Picture Advertising Code ... 21 VI. The Motion Picture Production Code Administration-------.----- 28 Synopsis of the working of the Motion Picture Productlon Code Adnstratn .......---------...------------------------- 29 Alleged violations of the Motion Picture Production C-e---- 35 VII. Opinions of the members of the motion-picture industry ---------- 49 VIII. Attempts of the movie industry to develop good citizenship on the part of young people ---------------------------------- 57 The Filmn :stimate 1oard of National Organization8s------- 67 School and educational use of motion pictures --------------- 58 IX. Conclusions ---------.------------------------------------- 61 Cutlusions on the effect of crime aid violence films on juvenile beha ior ----------------------- ----------------- 61 Comparison of motion pictures with other mass media -------- 62 Impact of a sigle film may be relatively great ............. Movie violence and the Motion Picture Production Code- - Motion-picture advertising ------------------------------- 66 Responsibility of the motion-picture industry -------------- Regulation of motion pictures ---------------------------- 6 I'U I IV CONTENTS x. Recommendations ---------- ............................. 08 Consultation of the behavioral scit'ue.8 --------------------- 68 Changes in production and ilvertisiig codes ---------------- 09 Motion-picture industry's responsibility ------------------- 69 Need for public partieipatoii in shapinA industry policy ...... 7S PossIbilities of research ............. -.. ............. 7 Production Code and television niovies -------------- 70 APPENDIX The television code of the National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters, effective March 1, 1952 ------------------------------ 72 Text of the National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters' Standards of Practice for American Broadcasters, July 1, 1948 edition. 80 Code of the Comics Magazine Association of America, Inc., adopted October 26, 19,54 ----------------------------------------- 84 An Advertising Code for Motion Pictures and regulations for its administra- tion ----------------------------------------------------------- 86 A Code to Govern the Making of Motion and Talking Pictures -The Rea- sons Supportlng It and the Resolution for Uniform Interpretation ..... 90 Number of motion pictures reviewed by the Productior Code Administra- tion according to type (1948-54) ---------------------------------- 99 List of motion-picture producing companies whose, pictures are ngularly submitted for the approval of the Production Code Administration-- .. 104 Members of the Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers as of February 1, 1955 ----------------------------------------------- 105 Independent Motion Picture Producers Asmociation ------------------ 105 Public previewing groups ------------------------------------------ 106 Motion picture councils and other community organizations ------------ 108 Btate and city censor boards --------------------------------------- 112 3ibliography ---------------------------------------------------- 120 CP:d Se', xion biTu CONORW 8E1NATE { No.--R.rorr MOTION PICTURES AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY A PART OF TIlE INVESTIGATION OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN THE UNITED STATES . -----..-. -Ordered to be printed Mr. K1zFAzvF., from the Subcommittee To Investigate Juvenile Delin- quency in the United States of the Committee on the Judiciary, Submitted the following INTERIM REPORT [Pursuant to S. Res. 62, 84th Cong.] I. INTROIUCTh)N The Subcooniiitteo' To Investigate Juvenile Delinquency, pursuant to authorization in Seiiate Resolution 190, 83d (ongrss, 2d session, and Senate Resolitioii 62, 84th Coigress, 1st session, has been making a "full and complete study of juvenile delinquency in the United States," ineludinlg its extentt and character" and "its causes and con.. tributing factors.' Hearings have been hel by the subcommittee dealing with com- munity problems in various cities anl with a number of special con- siderations that are believed to be affecting juvenile delinquency. Over a period of several months, the subcommittee received a vast amount, of mail from parents expressing concern regarding the pos- sible deleterious effect upon their children of certain of the media of mass comnmnication. liis led to an inquiry into the relationship to juvenile delinquency of these mass media. On Junie 16 and 17, 1955, the subcommittee held hearings in Los Angeles, Calif., continuing its extensive study of the mass media in order to determine their impact on the youth of our Nation. The sub- committee has already issued an interim report on its study of crime, brutality, horror, and sadism in comic books.1 A report has also been issued on the effects on juvenile delinquency of crime and violence as portrayed on television programs.2 R oth of these subjects were part 'Comic Books and Juvenile Delinquency, a part of the Invpstigation of Juvenile Delinquency In the United States, Interim Report, 84th Cong lot seas. Television and Juvenile Delinquency, a part of the lavestigation of Juvenile Delinquency in the United States, Interim Report, 84th Cong., 1st sees. 1 2 MOTION PICTURE AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY ' of this larger study of the nas injedia. In studying the effects of crime, violence, sadism, brutality, and sex in the movies on juvenile delinquency, the subcommittee also examined the manner in which these movies are advertised. It was made clear at the outset that the members of the subcommit- tee had no preconceived ideas or final conclusionLs concerning the effects of movies on children. Above all, we (lid not wish to create the im- pression that we had ceisorshij) of the movie industry in mind. The subcommittee has continually denounced censorsbio in all forms. We have adhered to the concept of regulation by the industry itself, and the industry generally does a fine j(-)b in regu'lating itself. As a result of the interim report on crime comnics, the comic-book industry devel- oped a code and appointed an administrator to insure that good comic books were produced. At the I Angeles hearings, the subcommit- tee once again reiterated its denunciation of censorship. It is honestly believed that the majority of the people in the film- making business, the