Citation

Gray D, Achilles J, Keller T, Tate D, Haggard L, Rolfs R, Cazier C, Workman J, McMahon WM. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 2002; 41(4): 427-434.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/00004583-200204000-00015

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To delineate the probability of contact between government agencies and youths who complete suicide, to investigate the nature of those contacts, and to identify new risk factors for suicide.

METHOD: A descriptive epidemiological analysis of data from multiple Utah government agencies on consecutive youth suicides (n = 151) between August 1, 1996, and June 6, 1999, aged 13-21 years. Data were collected from four government agencies: Office of the Medical Examiner, Juvenile Justice, Department of Human Services, and the Department of Education.

RESULTS: Utah descriptive data were similar to national statistics, with the majority of completers being male (89%) and firearms the most common method of suicide (58%). The data demonstrated an association between youth suicide and contact with Juvenile Justice. Sixty-three percent of youths who completed suicide in Utah had contact with Juvenile Justice, and there was a direct correlation between number of referrals and increased suicide risk. Suicide completers had multiple minor offenses over many years. A significant minority of school-age subjects could not be located within the school system. Few suicide completers had evidence of active psychiatric treatment.

CONCLUSIONS: Juvenile Justice is identified as a novel site for the screening and identification of youths at risk for suicide.

Language: en