Suicide Ideation During Juvenile Incarceration: Trauma, Mental Disorder, Level of Facility Restrictiveness, and Sources of Support

• In Event: Mortality, Health, and Justice Involvement

Abstract

Limited research attention has been dedicated to the joint effects of individual risk and experiences in a facility on suicide behaviors of incarcerated youth. The current study conceptualized two camps of determinants of suicide during incarceration: risks individuals imported into a facility as well as what occurred in a facility. Using state-wide data of incarcerated youth over eight years, the present study examined the joint effects of these predictors. Results suggested that, net of the effects of traumatic childhood experiences and histories of mental disorders, facility experiences exerted independent and significant effects on suicide ideation. The parental support youth received as well as their participation in prosocial activities during incarceration neutralized the risk of suicide ideation. Furthermore, the sets of predictors of suicide ideation were not identical in different types of facilities. Implications for improving screening tools and intervention programs at different types of facilities were discussed.

Author

• Lin Liu, University of Florida