%0 Journal Article
%T Utah youth suicide study, phase I: Government agency contact before death
%J Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
%D 2002
%A Gray, D.
%A Achilles, J.
%A Keller, T.
%A Tate, D.
%A Haggard, L.
%A Rolfs, R.
%A Cazier, C.
%A Workman, J.
%A McMahon, W. M.
%V 41
%N 4
%P 427-434
%X 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. <br><br>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. <br><br>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. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Juvenile Justice is identified as a novel site for the screening and identification of youths at risk for suicide.<p /><p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I Lippincott Williams and Wilkins
%@ 0890-8567
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00004583-200204000-00015