Arnie films encourage violence among youth

The "hit first, ask questions later" attitude shown in Arnold Schwarzenegger's movies is being aped by teenagers and feeding in to the knife crime epidemic.

The "hit first, ask questions later" attitude shown in Arnold Schwarzenegger's movies is being aped by teenagers and feeding in to the knife crime epidemic, a leading psychologist has warned.

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Professor Kevin Browne said even those youths not driven to violence become "desensitised" making them more likely to be "bystanders" if they witness an attack.

Browne, an expert in forensic and child psychology, also revealed violent young offenders are allowed access to "completely inappropriate" violent video games and films in the secure institutions.

He added there was "no doubt whatsoever" of a link between violent films and games and violence on the streets.

"We know children and young people are influenced by heroes in films and less so by villains. If you live on a diet of hit first and ask questions later, then you are likely to copy what that violent hero does, for example Jean-Claude Van Damme, Steven Seagal and to a certain extent Arnold Schwarzenegger," The Telegraph quoted him, as saying.

"They play heroes who are to an extent violent first and (young people) will copy their heroes and that violence if they come from a violent background," he added.