Family Dysfunction and Suicide Risk in a Community Corrections Sample

When comparted with the general population, the suicide rate in correctional populations is elevated. While predictors of suicide are well researched in jail and prison populations, much less work has been done to examine predictors of suicide in community corrections samples where 80% of the US correctional population is currently supervised.

The goal of this study was to determine factors associated with suicide risk in a community corrections sample.

Self-reported current ideation was examined in a sample of 512 individuals under supervision.

When univariate associations between current suicidal ideation and predictor variables were examined, current suicidal ideation was associated with being female, being White, reporting an increased level of stress, reporting an increased level of depression, meeting criteria for an anxiety disorder, an increased number of physical health complaints, and self-report of family dysfunction. In a multivariate analysis predicting suicide risk, only meeting criteria for an anxiety disorder, an increased number of physical health complaints, and self-report of family dysfunction were significant.

Mental and physical health complaints as well as self-report of family dysfunction are salient predictors of suicide risk in the community corrections population.