Violent imagery has driven Bermuda's rising gun problem, according to newly appointed Attorney General Michael Scott.

Minister Scott spoke yesterday at the International Association of Prosecutors Conference, which is being held at the Fairmont Southampton.

Speaking to the international lawyers he outlined Bermuda's rising gang problem and added: "What has happened of late, well many things have occurred not the least of which has been a syndrome of over gormandising on violent imagery, which has created among our modern citizens a pervasive numbness to violence and its infliction often in internecine conflicts.

"In less than a decade the medium of music cable and TV images has achieved in our regions what the second amendment of the US constitution the right to bear arms took in a differing context centuries to accomplish.

"There are of course other contributing causes but as we meet together the icon of violence stalks our young adults and tragically our children's minds daily beckoning them to be movie actors in their own violent episodes. Controlling the imagery needs to be examined as we plot solutions.

"As our case is new in the 21st century so must we act anew. Technology and science must become our servants and allies in this campaign.

"We can do well to take a page from the journals of the scientific and medical community as we plot cures to this modern malaise so that we conduct focused and fact-based research and analysis into the causes of violent crime as we prod and poke and place under the microscopes and into the Petri dishes of our respective boroughs parishes and towns all of the evidence and together achieve breakthroughs of which we can stand behind and be proud."

Yesterday afternoon the lawyers discussed ways to combat the regional rise in gang violence. That session was closed to the press.