This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Winter, M. M. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

County Jail Suicides in a Midwestern State: Moving Beyond the Use of Profiles

University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee

As part of a larger research project that evaluated individual and organizational units of analysis as related to jail suicides and suicide rates, this study addresses the problem of jail suicide and the current utilization of profiles as screening devices. Traditional profiles either overgeneralize to too broad of a population, are too small to offer conclusions beyond a case study, or lack distinction from the general jail population. This study examines inmate characteristics in relation to county jail suicides in a Midwestern state from 1980 through mid-1998. The concepts behind current profile application are refuted and yield to characteristics elicited through comparisons to the general, county-jail inmate populations. These factors distinguish inmates who committed suicide from inmates in the general jail population. The results demonstrate the need for local assessments and more stringent methods when developing screening tools. Implications for jail administrators, policies, and future research are discussed further.

Key Words: jails • suicide • profiles

The Prison Journal, Vol. 83, No. 2, 130-148 (2003)
DOI: 10.1177/0032885503083002002


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?