Monday, Cornell University held a community conversation on the necessity and effectiveness of the suicide barriers that have been installed on three city and four campus bridges.
Panelists believed the barriers are absolutely necessary.
Psychiatrist Dr Edward Caine noted that multiple studies show a barrier on a bridge prevents jumping from that bridge.
He added the big debate has been: do they change the rates of suicide.
Caine believes Ithaca will benefit because in most places, jumping from a bridge does not account for a larger proportion of suicides. In Ithaca, on East Hill, it does Craig said.
Other speakers noted that the barriers do not get to the root cause of the suicides and emphasized that the mental health issue must be addressed as well.
