What a very interesting thread.

I would like to add that I feel it would be very difficult to actually define what this town seems to be suffering from down to one incident. On face value and from the points that have been raised it does seem that there could be an association with the incident and subsequent behaviours.

However, there are just so many other factors invloved; cultural, this could be affected by the roots of the town, how it served the community, employment, education etc. What type of people moved here, (their cultural influences) as they would of impacted on the social ethos of the town. ethnicty, religion etc etc.

There is a town that I myself once lived in here in the U.K that also suffered from the same types of issues. It was also once a minning town and relied on this as its main source of industry. Once they shut the mines the area became very economically depressed. This town reminded me of a town lost in time. The commiunities seemed 'tight knit' in that they did not seem to welcome 'outsiders' but did not seem like well adjusted people. There was a big drug problem here as well.

Obviously the lack of employment also affects the educational resources. Innadequate education has devastating effects on people. It all goes hand-in-hand really!

I would suggest that there is a complexity of issues that are indeed multivariate in nature - rather like a domino effect. The helicopter incident was more than likely another major loss just as when their industy failed which would inevitably have devastating effects on morale etc etc. Perhaps what the youth are suffereing from is 'learned behaviour' learned 'self helplessnes'? How would they move away when they do not have aspiriations that are above numbing out the issues that they are probably not really aware of or even challenged on?

I think the issue you have raised is not just something that is endemic to a particualr place due to the resources, cultural aspects etc etc that are available but, something that is becoming a pandemic disease.

Spirit x