Modelling suicide and unemployment: longitudinal analysis covering 63 countries | Hacker News Reader

Modelling suicide and unemployment: longitudinal analysis covering 63 countries

thelancet.com

While I haven't looked into it I expect that suicides increased during the subprime meltdown, also that many turned to a life of crime with some committing murder.

Yet none of the bankers have gone to prison.

I was once a suicide hotline counselor. People have many reasons to commit suicide. In every case that I know about it is something that can be overcome if one can find a way to survive. A man once jumped off the golden gate bridge. As he fell, he realized that in reality he had no problems. Well, one problem.

He had just jumped.

However he was one of the very few to survive.

I don't know about suicide, but many people theorized at the time that crime would rise during the Great Recession in the US. However, counter-intuitively, crime continued its decades-long decline. Why this happened is the subject of debate.

Interesting. Did it at least slow down in decline, or was there no noticeable difference during the Great Recession?

I don't know. But you can look at the graph here: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/17/upshot/perceptions-havent-...

One possible interpretation is that the crime rate looked like it was starting to increase again immediately before the financial meltdown but then started to decline with the recession.

I recall reading somewhere that the move to unleaded gasoline may have had an effect. Also abortion rates.

Digital thermostats rather than mercury tilt switches, also digital thermometers. Most people dont know how todic mercury is. If you break a mercury thermometer call 911 to request a hazmat team.

Autmobiles are far more efficient than they once were, also they have far cleaner engines. Even with smog certifications dirty cars become so worn out they can no longer be repaired.

One can still purchase a beater but it will have fuel injection and a computer.

> If you break a mercury thermometer call 911 to request a hazmat team.

That's an over-reaction.

https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/chemicals/hsees/merc...

http://www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/

Perhaps due to the privatization of prisons?

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