Coal
Account Retired
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2015
- Messages
- 9,854
Apart from any other consideration there's solid evidence that reporting such tends to cause a rash of similar such events - it kind of 'gives permission' or normalizes the behavior as it were. It's and odd and sobering effect. Cialdini noted this way back in the late 1980's. It's been noted in those countries that legalize euthanasia, iirc in Holland the first legal procedures triggered a run of suicides.There’s very little media coverage of these incidents though - even locally - but I think that’s because of rules around reporting of suicide.
I occasionally wonder if heavily publicizing other crimes can have a similar effect.