Double jeopardy: suicide rates in forensic hospitals

Area of Science:

• Forensic Psychiatry
• Public Health
• Criminology

Background:

• High and increasing suicide rates are documented in psychiatric patients.
• Suicide risk in forensic hospital populations remains largely uncharacterized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate suicide rates among patients in a long-standing forensic hospital.
• To compare these rates with those in psychiatric and correctional populations.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of suicide data from Bridgewater State Hospital, the oldest continuously operating forensic institution in the country.
• Comparison of historical suicide rates (pre- and post-1968).
• Statistical comparison with published data on psychiatric and correctional suicides.

Main Results:

• Suicide rates varied significantly by historical period.
• The post-1968 suicide rate was 232 per 100,000.
• This rate is comparable to psychiatric patient suicide rates and significantly higher than U.S. correctional populations.

Conclusions:

• Forensic hospital populations exhibit suicide rates comparable to general psychiatric populations.
• Historical changes in hospital management or patient population likely influenced suicide rates.
• Further research is needed to understand and mitigate suicide risk in forensic settings.