Teen suicide

[mongers]

Damn, another interesting thread hijacked by the Canadian legal mafia.   


edit:

Back to Berkut's dilemma, I wasn't going to post this, but since he's talked to two of the teens and has a good understanding of the dynamics of the case, I should point out there was a cluster of suicides around some schools in South Wales a few  years back and there might be something in the reporting you might find useful with your own school's problem:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridgend_suicide_incidents

Suspected suicides in Bridgend area reach 17 as schoolgirl found hanged

Robert Booth
Wednesday 20 February 2008 10.09 GMT 

A 16-year-old schoolgirl was found hanged yesterday, bringing to 17 the number of apparent suicides among youngsters in the Bridgend area since the beginning of last year.

South Wales police said Jenna Parry was discovered at 7.45am in woods near her home at Cefn Cribbwr, a small village north-west of the town.

Her death is the latest in a spate which has made Bridgend the focus of national scrutiny and the centre of a police investigation to discover possible links between the suicides. Speculation originally centred on the internet and social networking websites but police and grieving relatives moved yesterday to quash rumours of such links.

The parents of 15-year-old Nathaniel Pritchard, who apparently killed himself last week, went further and blamed their son's death on press coverage. Nathaniel's mother, Sharon, said: "It has glamorised ways of taking your life as a way of getting attention without fully realising the tragic consequences."

Last week, two cousins died within two days of each other and five people aged between 15 and 20 have died in the area this year.

"A number had access to social networking sites but there's no suggestion that anybody used these sites as a means to take their lives," said assistant chief constable Dave Morris, who is leading an investigation into the deaths. "I would like to put to bed any suggestion within the media that we are investigating suicide pacts or suicide internet links. They were all young people with big issues. There are a constellation of factors influencing these young people." These included relationship break-ups, friendship issues and family problems, he said.

Philip Walters, the coroner for Bridgend and Glamorgan Valleys, said he was convinced there was "not one great conspiracy" linking the 17 deaths, although he said there was clear evidence that the first three suicides and two subsequent pairs were linked by the victims knowing each other. "Apart from the three groupings, there are no links that I can see," he said. "Parts of the media have claimed there is an internet connection but there has been no evidence of that apart from internet tributes after the deaths."

The number of suicides in the last 12 months is above average for the area. In Bridgend, three men aged between 15 and 24 committed suicide on average every year between 1996 and 2006. Last year there were at least nine.

"Media coverage put the idea into Nathaniel's head," said Sharon Pritchard. "We never believed his death was linked to other deaths and never believed there was an internet pact. We are certain it never had anything to do with living in Bridgend."

Nathaniel died in hospital after "harming himself" last week. His cousin Kelly Stephenson, 20, was found hanged hours later while on holiday in Kent.

The police also criticised reporting of the suicides and said Bridgend is becoming "stigmatised" by the coverage.

"We are speaking to young people in Bridgend and what we are getting from them is that the media is starting to contribute to their thoughts in terms of how they feel, pressures they are under," said Morris.

A friend of Jenna's, Daniel John, 20, said: "It has been an absolute shock. She was so bubbly and carefree. I can't imagine why she would take her own life."
.....

Full article here:
http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2008/feb/20/wales?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487

[crazy canuck]

The difference in gun culture between the two countries can't really explain this difference, because the rates have changed while the "gun culture" in Canada hasn't.

The article states that gun use among boys has decreased.  While the article doesnt explain the reason for that decrease I think a likely explanation is that as Canada has become a more urban country access to fire arms has decreased.

[crazy canuck]

Damn, another interesting thread hijacked by the Canadian legal mafia.   

You don't think the impact of guns on the success rate of male teen suicide in the US is worth discussing?

[Malthus]

The difference in gun culture between the two countries can't really explain this difference, because the rates have changed while the "gun culture" in Canada hasn't.

The article states that gun use among boys has decreased.  While the article doesnt explain the reason for that decrease I think a likely explanation is that as Canada has become a more urban country access to fire arms has decreased.

The article notes decreases in gunshots and drugs, and increase in hanging. Not sure where that leads.

[crazy canuck]

The difference in gun culture between the two countries can't really explain this difference, because the rates have changed while the "gun culture" in Canada hasn't.

The article states that gun use among boys has decreased.  While the article doesnt explain the reason for that decrease I think a likely explanation is that as Canada has become a more urban country access to fire arms has decreased.

The article notes decreases in gunshots and drugs, and increase in hanging. Not sure where that leads.

One thing is for sure.  Less gun use.

[dps]

The problem with your explanation is that the rate of successful suicide rate amongst males in Canada is lower than in the US because Canadian males don't use guns as much as their American counterparts.  An explanation seems to be that among those who really do intend to commit suicide the success rate is much higher in a country that has ready access to guns.

Or maybe suicidal Canadian males are just less competent than their US counterparts.

[lustindarkness]

Canadian males are just less competent than their US counterparts.

[mongers]

Damn, another interesting thread hijacked by the Canadian legal mafia.   

You don't think the impact of guns on the success rate of male teen suicide in the US is worth discussing?

Well yes, but I coudn't give up an opportunity to 'sledge' Canadians at the wicket.   


I'm told the Canadians have a rather good cricket team.

[Barrister]

Damn, another interesting thread hijacked by the Canadian legal mafia.   

You don't think the impact of guns on the success rate of male teen suicide in the US is worth discussing?

Well yes, but I coudn't give up an opportunity to 'sledge' Canadians at the wicket.   


I'm told the Canadians have a rather good cricket team.

I think to myself "you know we have so many Indians and Pakistanis in Canada I bet we probably do".

Then I decide to check out my hypothesis:






Yup.

[Malthus]

Damn, another interesting thread hijacked by the Canadian legal mafia.   

You don't think the impact of guns on the success rate of male teen suicide in the US is worth discussing?

Well yes, but I coudn't give up an opportunity to 'sledge' Canadians at the wicket.   


I'm told the Canadians have a rather good cricket team.

Great. You have discovered the one topic that can out-bore a bevy of Canuck lawyers as a thread hijack: cricket. 

[DGuller]

*crickets*

[crazy canuck]

The problem with your explanation is that the rate of successful suicide rate amongst males in Canada is lower than in the US because Canadian males don't use guns as much as their American counterparts.  An explanation seems to be that among those who really do intend to commit suicide the success rate is much higher in a country that has ready access to guns.

Or maybe suicidal Canadian males are just less competent than their US counterparts.

Certainly we are not very good at shooting ourselves.  We tend to leave that to the gun nuts.