If Video Games are Bad for Inmates, Can They be Good for Kids?

In Missouri,

Governor Matt Blunt banned video games from the state's prisons Monday, a month after a newspaper reported some of Missouri's most violent inmates were allowed to play games simulating murders, carjackings and the killings of police officers.

I wonder if the convicts threw a temper tantrum like my son has, when I've pulled the plug on his game playing after he's gotten carried away with playing it for too long. :-)

But here is the quote that I thought was the most relevent:

In prison, inmates should "pick up skills and abilities that will allow them to go back out into society and be productive citizens," Blunt said. "Playing video games doesn't have anything to do with either of those objectives."

Not much different than the goals we set for our kids, and kids minds are even more impressionable. They are forming their values at this point in their lives and some of them are immersing themselves in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

If we can agree with Gov. Blunt, then we have to also agree that there should be serious concern over the heavy use of video games by our kids, especially the violent, immersive ones. Right?