The Scandinavian Suicide Phenomenon—Myth or Reality?

ABSTRACT: This paper reexamines the “Scandinavian Suicide Phenomenon,” the observation that reported suicides are typically high in Denmark and Sweden and typically low in Norway even though these three countries seem otherwise similar. It has been suggested that in Norway more suicides are reported as accidental death or as death due to unknown causes. This paper explores this possibility by means of a detailed examination of causes of death. Nine other countries are included in the comparisons to facilitate interpretation of the findings. It was found that there were significantly higher rates of accidental and unclassified deaths in Norway than in Denmark or Sweden; if it is assumed that many of these are suicide, this could account for the reported differences in suicide rates.     

Effective problem solving in suicide attempters depends on specific autobiographical recall.

The relationship between over-general autobiographical memory and interpersonal problem solving was investigated by comparing a group of suicide attempters with a nonsuicidal psychiatric control group and a normal control group. Results showed that suicide attempters were more over-general in memory and displayed significantly poorer problem solving than the other two groups. Furthermore, suicide attempters who were more over-general displayed greater deficits in problem solving. It was concluded that effective problem solving in suicide attempters depends on specific autobiographical recall.     

What's Wrong with Prepunishment?

Punishing someone for a crime before they have committed it is widely considered morally abhorrent. But there is little agreement on what exactly is supposed to be wrong with it. In this paper, I critically evaluate several objections to the permissibility of prepunishment, making points along the way about the connections between time, knowledge, desert, deterrence and duty. I conclude that, although the conditions under which it could permissibly be administered are unlikely ever to arise in practice, nevertheless in principle, nothing is wrong with prepunishment after all.