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Suicide is the main cause of death among prison inmates, comprising almost half of all deaths in penal institutions in the Netherlands. Suicides in prisons have major consequences. They are a cause of distress to prison staff, other inmates, relatives and partners. They may cause unrest among other inmates.Detecting suicide is difficult and requires the collection of information that may not be generally available on the ‘normal’ prison inmate.This paper describes research undertaken to identify factors that might indicate high suicide risk in a prison inmate. These factors were then weighted to provide a suicide screening tool that was able to identify 95% of inmates at risk of suicide.However identification of risk is only the first step; steps must be taken thereafter to ensure suicide does not occur. The effectiveness of preventive measures is an important area for future research.

This article reviews the international literature of the last two decades on self‐injurious behaviour in prisons and jails and introduces the risk factors associated with this behaviour. Studies from a variety of countries investigated different samples (e.g. in jails or prisons; female or male inmates). We only chose those studies using a control group of inmates without self‐injurious behaviour. The findings on potential risk factors for self‐injurious behaviour are largely contradictory because of the differences in sample selection and dependent variables (deliberate self‐harm without suicidal intent vs. suicide attempts). We also discuss some methodological problems in predicting self‐injurious behaviour.

This paper mains to bring attention to the potential impact COVID-19 could have on suicide risk among individuals who are incarcerated and those reentering the community after incarceration (i.e. reentry), with particular emphasis on the USA, as well as provide possible solutions to mitigate suicide risk.

This paper provides an overview of the association between the COVID-19 pandemic policies and suicide, the vulnerabilities specific to prisoners during the COVID-19 pandemic, relevant suicide risk factors among prisoners, the possible impact of COVID-19 on suicide risk during reentry and proposed solutions for moving forward to mitigate both risks for COVID-19 and suicide.

This paper highlights that prisoners and individuals reentering the community are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 and suicide risk and COVID-19-related stressors may further exacerbate known suicide risk factors (e.g. psychiatric symptoms, lack of positive social ties, low feelings of belonging, feelings of burden, economic problems) and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. This paper also discusses barriers (e.g. lack of funds, access to health and mental health care, COVID-19 testing and personal protective equipment) to managing COVID-19 and suicide risk within prisons and during reentry.

This paper provides a review of scalable solutions that could mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and suicide risk during this pandemic among prisoners and those reentering the community, such as psychoeducation, self-help stress management, telehealth services, increased access and reduced cost of phone calls, reduced or eliminated cost of soap and sanitization supplies in prisons and early release programs.

Study samples, having responded to similar survey content, allowed examination of suicide risk factors for deployed soldiers relative to nondeployed or home station soldiers. Specific research questions addressed by this study are: First, what is the prevalence of suicidal behaviors among Army National Guard (ARNG) soldiers – deployed or not, and how do these rates compare with known US national and international rates? Second, what are stressful life events associated with suicidal risk? How do these compare between deployed and nondeployed soldiers? Third, what specifically about combat exposure makes soldiers at risk for suicide? And fourth, is there any evidence of stress-buffering effect between risk factors and suicidal behaviors? The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Three data sources were used. First, the responding sample for the Unit Risk Inventory consisted of 180 company-sized units with a total of 12,567 responding soldiers. Second, the responding sample for the Unit Risk Inventory-Reintegration consisted of 50 company-sized units with a total of 4,567 soldiers. The third data source was all ARNG suicides for calendar years 2007 through 2012. For each calendar year, a random sample of 1,000 ARNG soldiers was drawn to represent nonsuicides. This resulted in a study sample size of 6,523, including the 523 suicides for the years 2007 through 2012 plus 1,000 nonsuicide cases for each calendar year.

Prevalence of suicidal behaviors among soldiers was higher (for thoughts, plans, and attempts, respectively, 4-6, 1.3-2.2, and 0.7-0.08 percent) than among civilian populations (respectively, 2.6, 0.7, and 0.4 percent). Risk was highest among home station than deployed soldiers. Stressful life events associated with suicide risk included personal feelings of loneliness, anger, and frustration, followed by interpersonal behavioral problems, such as aggressive behavior toward a significant other and having committed a crime. Also evident are the beneficial effects (as a main effect and buffering effect) of feelings of cohesiveness, quality leaderships, and job satisfaction on suicidal behaviors.

Findings here were consistent with the stressor-strain hypothesis. Stressful life events were associated with suicide risk, especially, personal feelings of loneliness, anger, and frustration, followed by interpersonal behavioral problems, such as aggressive behavior toward a significant other and having committed a crime. Evident, too, were the beneficial effects of feelings of cohesiveness, quality leaderships, and job satisfaction on suicidal behaviors. Soldiers reporting these events were less likely to report suicidal behaviors and social support lessened the cumulative effect of risk factors on suicidal behaviors. Given these findings, it seems that suicide risk in the military is not uniquely different from that observed in civilian populations. The higher prevalence of suicides in the military likely has to do with proportionally more individuals who have historically shown to be at risk for suicide, namely, young males.

Strong association of individual-level attributes with suicidal behaviors, such as age, gender, and race, suggest individual-level vulnerability to suicidal behaviors. This expectation is consistent with the stress/suicide vulnerability theory (Bryan, 2014; Nock et al., 2013). Such vulnerabilities may include negative affectivity (one of the Big Five personality dimensions) and early childhood trauma to suicidal behaviors (Griffith, 2012a, 2014).

Suicide, related constructs, and their underlying processes need to be further examined in future research. Their understanding would be useful in screening individuals most at risk for suicidal behaviors, with referral and treatment, if needed. Practically, such vulnerabilities in relation to what specific experiences could be determined, potentially describing which individuals are suited best to adapt to which environments.

There has been much research on the increased suicides in the military, and to date, studies have focussed primarily on traumatic events, such as, deployments and combat exposure associated with suicidal behaviors. Yet, studies have almost exclusively examined the combat-suicide connection without reference to suicide risk factors among nondeployed or home station soldiers. This study fills this gap by examining survey responses to standardized questionnaires administered to ARNG soldiers during calendar year 2010 – one sample of deployed units either to Iraq or to Afghanistan and another sample of nondeployed or home station units.

Suicide is one of the top three leading causes of death amongst those aged between 15 and 44 years; and tenth leading cause of death in the wider population. The base rates of suicide, suicide attempts and suicide-related behaviours are comparably low in the general population with between 17 and 68 per cent of individuals who successfully commit suicide having made a previous attempt to take their own life. As recently as the 1980's it was still a widely held belief that individuals with intellectual disability (ID) did not have the cognitive capacity to experience mental health problems and this acted as a “buffer” against suicidal behaviour. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

The literature review covered the time period 1993-2013 and returned 117 studies, 77 of which related to individuals with ID, 37 of which related to adults. Following screening titles and abstracts 28 articles were removed. A total of nine studies were found to be eligible for inclusion in the review. A further two studies examining suicide in adolescents (up to adulthood) with ID were also considered. From the eligible studies the following information was considered: study design, sample size, strengths, limitations and the risk factors associated with an increased risk of suicide.

The suicide risk factors identified during the review were found to be in keeping with the general population and included a diagnosis of clinical depression, history of self-harm, unemployment, loneliness, unemployment, an increased need for support from others, early onset mental illness and being treatment resistive.

Suicide in individuals with ID is a topic that has not received a great deal of attention from professionals and clinicians alike. People with ID have higher rates of mental health problems and therefore it could be argued that they are more likely to be at risk. This study aims to look at risk factors specific to people with ID for clinicians to consider in their daily practice.

Purpose: Sexual minority youth are more likely than their heterosexual peers to consider and attempt suicide, in part due to victimization experienced within schools. While existing research suggests that rates of school victimization and suicidality among sexual minority students vary by school and community context, less is known about variation in these experiences at the state level.

Methodology: Using data from a large, representative sample of sexual minority and heterosexual youth (2017 Youth Risk Behavior States Data, n = 64,746 high school students in 22 states), multilevel models examine whether differences between sexual minority and heterosexual students in victimization and suicide risk vary by state-level policies.

Findings: Results suggest that disparities between sexual minority and heterosexual boys in bullying, suicide ideation, and suicide attempt are consistently smaller in states with high levels of overall policy support for LGBTQ equality and nondiscrimination in education laws. Sexual minority girls are more likely than heterosexual girls to be electronically bullied, particularly in states with lower levels of LGBTQ equality. Disparities between sexual minority and heterosexual girls in suicide ideation are lowest in high equality states, but state policies are not significantly associated with disparities in suicide attempt among girls.

Value: Overall, findings suggest that state-level policies supporting LGBTQ equality are associated with a reduced risk of suicide among sexual minority youth. This study speaks to the role of structural stigma in shaping exposure to minority stress and its consequences for sexual minority youth's well-being.

This chapter depicts the burden of suicidal behavior among African American males. It describes the public health approach to preventing suicidal behavior among African American males. This approach includes assessing and describing the problem; identifying causes or risk and protective factors; developing and evaluating programs and policies; and implementing and disseminating findings and activities. The chapter provides a review of the epidemiology of fatal and non-fatal suicidal behavior; a summary of what is known about the risk and protective factors of the problem; and a descriptive analysis of the circumstances associated with suicides among young African American males is presented. Lastly, the authors give a summary of evidenced-based prevention programs which could be applied in preventing male suicidal behavior.

The area of risk assessment of suicide in prisons is addressed. The role of mental disorder, anger and violence are considered. A theoretical model of suicidal behaviour is presented. The value of such models, as a means of integrating research data into evidence‐based practice is reviewed.

Standards for assessing and managing suicide risk were developed and incorporated into a guidance manual for general practitioners. The effects of the manual on opinions and practice were evaluated using a quasi‐experimental controlled before/after design, comparing participating general practitioners with others who did not use the manual. Thirty four general practitioners participated over a six‐month period. The intervention group showed changes in perceptions, with increased satisfaction with their own methods and in their recognition and assessment of suicide risk. Their practice changed, with increased recording of relevant factors in notes. The comparison group did not change in these ways. It is concluded that general practitioners’ practice and opinions in assessing and managing suicide risk were significantly improved using a minimal intervention. Given the importance of the topic and the small size of this study, further research is needed, examining changes in professional practice, knowledge and attitudes.

The purpose of this paper is to better understand suicidality among adolescent Mississippians.

Mississippi-specific data were obtained from an existing national health data set and utilized for two hierarchal linear regressions.

Highest risk for adolescent suicidality is for females with poor body image and a history of traumatic experiences.

This study demonstrates the need for further research into unique suicide risk factors for adolescents in Mississippi. Causality cannot be inferred due to the correlational nature of this study, and direct comparison of the findings to adolescents from other states cannot be made.

This exploratory study employed a holistic, inclusive approach toward better identifying adolescent Mississippians most at-risk for suicidality; findings lead to future, targeted research efforts for better understanding specific suicide risk factors in this population.