Characteristics of Juvenile Suicide in Confinement. Juvenile Justice Bulletin

摘要

According to the Surgeon General of the United States, youth suicide is a national tragedy and a major public health problem (Carmona, 2005; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1999). The suicide rate of young people (ages 15 to 24) tripled from 2.7 per 100,000 in 1950 to 9.9 per 100,000 in 2001 (Arias et al., 2003). More teenagers die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia and influenza, and chronic lung disease combined (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1999). In addition, a national survey found that more than 3 million youth are at risk for suicide each year, with 37 percent of surveyed youth reporting that they attempted suicide during the previous 12 months (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2001). Although youth suicide in the general population has been identified as a significant public health problem, juvenile suicide in confinement has received little attention. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) awarded a contract to the National Center on Institutions and Alternatives to conduct the first national survey of juvenile suicides in confinement. The primary goal of this effort was to determine the extent and distribution of juvenile suicides in confinement (i.e., juvenile detention centers, reception centers, training schools, ranches, camps, and farms).