Using Life Trajectories Analysis to Characterize Suicide Attempts in Prison

Area of Science:

• Criminology
• Psychiatry
• Public Health

Background:

• Suicide within correctional facilities presents a significant public health challenge.
• Existing research identifies various risk factors, including duration of incarceration and depressive disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of pre-incarceration and in-incarceration risk factors on suicide attempts.
• To analyze inmate life trajectories to identify predictors of suicide attempts.

Main Methods:

• Life trajectory analysis using life charts across four domains: health, life events, relationships, and judiciary.
• Comparison of life charts between inmates with a history of suicide attempts (ISA) and those without (IWSA).
• Logistic regression and ROC curve analysis to build a predictive suicide risk model.

Main Results:

• Inmates with a history of suicide attempts reported more depressive experiences pre-detention and more behavioral disorders during detention.
• A higher overall life burden was observed in inmates with a history of suicide attempts.
• Key predictors differentiating ISA from IWSA included pre-detention mood disorders, behavioral disorders, and quality of family relationships during detention.

Conclusions:

• The accumulation of adverse life events and behavioral issues throughout an inmate's life trajectory are critical factors in suicide risk.
• Integrating these developmental trajectory factors into therapeutic models is recommended for suicide prevention in prison settings.