The Validity of Open-Source Data when Assessing Jail Suicides

• In Event: Death in Custody

Abstract

Suicide is the leading cause of inmate deaths in local jails and accounts for more than a third of all annual deaths. The Bureau of Justice Statistics’ Deaths in Custody Reporting Program is the primary source for jail suicide research, though the data is restricted from general dissemination. This study is the first to examine if jail suicide data obtained from publicly available sources can help inform our understanding of this serious public health problem. Findings demonstrate that the prevalence and correlates of jail suicides are similar in open source and official data. This research also sheds light on how open-source data can provide additional information not found in official data.

Authors

• Amanda L Thomas, The Graduate Center, John Jay College / CUNY

• Jacqueline Scott, The Graduate Center, John Jay College / CUNY

• Jeff Mellow, The Graduate Center, John Jay College / CUNY