Suicide and the Juvenile Justice System

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Suicide and the Juvenile Justice System
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Faces of Juvenile Justice
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Juvenile Justice in the United States
North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention

• Combination States (21 States)
• Mix of state-controlled and locally operated
  delinquency services
• Examples
• Largely state-run systems but with significant
  local control in the more populous, urban areas
• State-operated services for youth provided by
  executive and judicial branches

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Juvenile Justice in the United States
North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention

• Decentralized States (18 States)
• Organization of basic delinquency is
  characterized by local control
• Often local authorities are responsible for
  detention centers as well as aftercare services

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Juvenile Justice in the United States
North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention

• Centralized States (12 States)
• Services are provided by a state executive agency
  having control over
• state-run juvenile probation services
• institutional commitments and
• aftercare.

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North Carolina Juvenile Justice
North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention

• Vision
• A seamless, comprehensive juvenile justice system
  which provides the most effective services to
  youth and their families at the right time in the
  most appropriate settings
• Mission
• To promote public safety and juvenile delinquency
  prevention, intervention, and treatment through
  the operation of a seamless, comprehensive
  juvenile justice system

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North Carolina Juvenile Justice
North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention

• Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils
• 100 counties
• Court Services
• 39 field offices
• Secure Facilities
• 10 State-operated detention centers
• 5 youth development centers

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Facts About Suicide and Juvenile Justice Systems
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A Literature Review
North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention

• Juvenile Suicide in Confinement A National
  Survey
• Lindsay M. Hayes, National Center on Institutions
  and Alternatives
• Suicide Prevention in Juvenile Correction and
  Detention Facilities
• Lindsay M. Hayes, National Center on Institutions
  and Alternatives
• DJJDP Annual Report 2004

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A Literature Review
North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention

• Risk Factors for General Population
• Mental disorders and substance abuse
• Physical, sexual, and emotional abuse
• Self-injurious behavior
• Factors for Institutional Environments Conducive
  to Suicidal Behavior
• Authoritative environment
• Shame of incarceration for those not detained
  previously
• Lack of privacy, lack of choices, and being
  locked in a room
• No apparent control of the future
• Fears of the unknown
• Isolation from family friends

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A Literature Review
North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention

• Personal Characteristics of the Victim (North
  Carolina Committed Youth)
• Race
• 68.4 Caucasian (67 African American / 27
  Caucasian)
• Sex
• 79.7 male (88)
• Age
• Average mean 15.7 years old (43 15 years old)
• Living Status Prior to Confinement
• 39.5 living with one parent

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A Literature Review
North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention

• Personal Characteristics of the Victim (North
  Carolina Committed Youth)
• Most Serious Charge
• 69.6 confined on non-violent offense (59 Class
  F-1 serious)
• Substance Abuse
• 87 history (63)
• Emotional, Physical, and Sexual Abuse
• 58.3, 43.5, 38.6 respectively (295 / 403 high
  risk level)
• Mental Illness
• 74.3 history of mental illness (76 conduct
  disorder, 20 ADD, 11 depression / anxiety, 4
  suicidal)

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A Literature Review
North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention

• Suicide Incident Characteristics National Study
• Date
• January and May accounted for over 30
• Certain seasons and holidays DID NOT account for
  higher number
• Time
• 50 between 6 pm midnight
• 29.1 between 6 pm 9 pm
• 70.9 during 7 am 9pm (waking hours)
• Method, Instrument, and Anchoring Device
• 98.7 hanging
• 71.8 utilized bedding
• 21.1 door hinge / knob 19.7 air vent 19.7
  bed frame 14.5 window
• Room Assignment
• 74.7 single-occupancy rooms
• 50 on room confinement
• 85 died during waking hours

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A Literature Review
North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention

• Suicide Incident Characteristics National Study
• Assessment by Qualified Mental Health
  Professional
• 44.3 never been assessed or not assessed within
  30 days of deaths
• 49.1 (those assessed) had a contact visit within
  6 days of their deaths
• Length of Confinement
• 4 within first 24 hours of confinement
  (detention)
• 31.7 occurred during 1 and 4 months confinement
  (training schools)

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North Carolina
North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention

• Personal Characteristics of Committed Youth
• Population
• 473 committed to one of the five youth
  development centers
• Race
• 67 African American
• 27 Caucasian
• Sex
• 88 male
• Age
• 43 15 years old

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North Carolina
North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention

• Personal Characteristics Committed Youth
• Most Serious Charge
• 59 Class F-1 serious
• Substance Abuse
• 63
• Emotional, Physical, and Sexual Abuse
• 295 / 403 high risk level
• Mental Illness
• 76 conduct disorder, 20 ADD, 11 depression /
  anxiety, 4 suicidal

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Departmental Policies and Practices
North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention

• Policies
• Written Suicide Prevention Policy
• Suicide Precaution Protocol
• Mortality Review Intake
• Practices
• Facility Type and Population
• Suicide Prevention Training
• CPR Certification
• Basic Training
• Suicide Awareness Training
• Suicide Intervention Training
• Screening for Suicide Risk

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Conclusion What is North Carolina Doing?
North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention

• Additional Research Data Collection
• Garrett E Smith Memorial Act
• State Epidemiology Data Collection
• State Plan and Policy Implementation
• North Carolina Youth Suicide Prevention Task
  Force
• North Carolina Child Fatality Task Force
• Future Training Efforts
• State and Local Opportunities

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Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention

• 1801 Mail Service Center
• Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1801
• Telephone [phone]
• Web-site www.ncdjjdp.org