Exactly what I was thinking. If you were born and raised in a nasty household or neighborhood, and violence is all you know, it doesn't matter what you play; you're still going to have something that tops video games - real life. Real life will influence you more than a video game will. If you are a country-club happy-go-lucky always-do-well, it's still the same story. So you kill a few prostitutes, a few white people, and a few black people. You're not going to instantly develop a hatred towards people who sell their body for money and you're not going to develop a hatred towards the white or black race. I think your personal life is where it's at. If people want less violence in the world, raise your kids right. It's got a whole hell of a lot more to do with it than video games.

Hmmm... I'll try to take a balanced view on this.

I think the main issue is that parents and conservative elements see video games as corrupting to society, and especially children, in several ways. To some extent, I see where they're coming from. Exposing immature and developing kids to potentially disturbing and mature material can harm their development. It's especially problematic when kids aren't mature enough to tell "right" from "wrong", or at least what will and won't get them into trouble. Though I doubt alot of "disturbing" material in video games causes normal, healthy kids to go out and commit crimes.
I think it's mostly the same highly vulnerable, disturbed, and already violent kids who can't distinguish fiction from reality in the first place, the same ones who copy from horror movies, who are most likely to copy from films and games.
There was, no doubt, the same uproar about particularly brutal horror films in the 70s and 80s, as there is now about violent video games.

I don't doubt, however, that the outcry is more serious than ever due to the fact that you don't just watch, you participate in violent acts. It is often accused that violent games effectively train kids, teenagers, and adults to be violent.
I think though, that violent games rather help people to vent anger and worry. Instead of going out and punching a wall, people can release anger by playing a first person shooter.

It may have negative effects on younger kids, though. I have noticed that pre-pubescent kids who say that they play violent video games tend to be more aggressive. Certain things suggest that exposure to mature violence before a certain developmental point can make children quite aggressive. Whilst they do not look like murderers, they don't look like violent video games are doing them any good. It may perhaps affect the development of their personality.
Not to mention swearing. If you learn a habit early, it might stay with you for the rest of your life. The same thing is true with habitual swearing. Kids pick up nasty cuss words, because they seem "cool", from the playground at a young age, it's disgusting. No doubt alot of parents have trouble protecting their children from that. Obscene language is not cool, and it doesn't sound at all pleasant. Kids are too young to understand that. Yes, it happens in real life, no, kids shouldn't be exposed to it more than is preventable. I know, because I used to be a kid, taught that swearing was horrible, and never picked it up as a habit, whereas the kids who were exposed to it more, and had parents who swore frequently, picked it up as a lifetime habit.

Kids still don't really understand obscene language, mature themes and gore-heavy games, and shouldn't be exposed to it. So, there should be a clear ratings system, and parents and guardians should be more pro-active in choosing what is appropriate for their kids. Sadly though, not much can be expected if the parents are already irresponsible and negligent. It really depends on maturity, not age. Though the two clearly correlate with each other.

I don't think censoring video games is the answer, rather more active enforcement of age ratings, especially by parents. It seems logical that the mental development of kids is protected as a precautionary measure.