Motivated to Attempt Suicide: A Multi-Level Examination of Inmate Characteristics and Prison Context

• In Event: Poster Session II

Abstract

Correctional institutions in the U.S. witness higher rates of suicide compared to the general population, as well as a higher number of attempted suicides compared to completed cases. Prison research has focused little attention on investigating the combined effects of inmate characteristics and prison context on suicide, with studies using only one level of analysis (prison or prisoner) and neglecting the nested nature of inmates in prisons. To extend this literature, multilevel modeling techniques were employed to investigate individual- and prison-contextual patterns of attempted suicide using a nationally representative sample of 18,185 inmates in 326 prisons across the United States. Results revealed that several individual-level factors predicted odds for attempted suicide, such as: inmate characteristics/demographics, prison experiences, having a serious mental illness, and symptoms of mental health issues. Some prison-contextual variables, as well as cross-level interaction effects, also significantly predicted odds for attempted suicide. Implications for policy and research are discussed.

Author

• Bryce Evan Stoliker, Simon Fraser University