4 ms·

Without notoriety, it is unlikely the puzzle would be solved. Many cases are solved with tips following news reports. So reduced coverage could lead to reduced

Without notoriety, it is unlikely the puzzle would be solved. Many cases are solved with tips following news reports. So reduced coverage could lead to reduced apprehension rates. Alternatively, what benefit does reduced coverage offer? Do we know that less notoriety means fewer or less prolific serial killers? Maybe they would be even more prolific trying to get attention. So if reduced coverage leads to reduced crime, then great. But if not, then denying them notoriety just hurts their feelings. That’s great, but as it might lead to reduced apprehensions, I don’t think hurting their feelings is worth it. Note: I don’t mean to belittle your point. I don’t like that society is so fascinated by crime either. But I think that is a separate issue.

Vhano 6y ago
there is considerable research on mass shootings. Guaranteed notoreity is a stimulus.
platinumrad 6y ago
> Without notoriety, it is unlikely the puzzle would be solved. I literally do not care one bit about this puzzle being solved. I do care, a lot, about people not getting shot when they go to the supermarket.
- 1123581321 6y ago
  Those two things aren’t connected. Also, many people do care about solving this puzzle, both for the sake of cryptography and for the chance it will provide closure to the case, if not justice, at this point. We needn’t worry about the stimulating effect revisiting decades-old crimes of an entirely different nature, for scientific purposes, may have.
- eplanit 6y ago
  The Zodiac puzzle was not involved in the shooting this week. It's ok to solve the puzzle.
- pvaldes 6y ago
  Don't blame puzzle solvers for an old rotting and recurrent problem that the politicians could stop at any moment if they would really want it.
OOPMan 6y ago
The context here is key to why the OPs contribution is meaningless waffle. There is a difference between a 50 year old cold case and a killing that happened last week. In the case of a recent homicide with an actual arrest the "focus on the victims rather than the criminal" thing makes some sense. In the case of the zodiac and other ancient cold cases it's rather irrelevant.

Vhano 6y ago

there is considerable research on mass shootings. Guaranteed notoreity is a stimulus.

platinumrad 6y ago

> Without notoriety, it is unlikely the puzzle would be solved. I literally do not care one bit about this puzzle being solved. I do care, a lot, about people not getting shot when they go to the supermarket.

1123581321 6y ago
Those two things aren’t connected. Also, many people do care about solving this puzzle, both for the sake of cryptography and for the chance it will provide closure to the case, if not justice, at this point. We needn’t worry about the stimulating effect revisiting decades-old crimes of an entirely different nature, for scientific purposes, may have.
eplanit 6y ago
The Zodiac puzzle was not involved in the shooting this week. It's ok to solve the puzzle.
pvaldes 6y ago
Don't blame puzzle solvers for an old rotting and recurrent problem that the politicians could stop at any moment if they would really want it.

OOPMan 6y ago

The context here is key to why the OPs contribution is meaningless waffle. There is a difference between a 50 year old cold case and a killing that happened last week. In the case of a recent homicide with an actual arrest the "focus on the victims rather than the criminal" thing makes some sense. In the case of the zodiac and other ancient cold cases it's rather irrelevant.