SUICIDE

AS AN AFTER EFFECT OF
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
 Scope of Presentation
 Definition of Suicide

 Extra-social Causes and Social Causes of Suicide

 Suicide as a social phenomenon

 Research studies around the world that discussed

the links of Juvenile Delinquency as contributing
factors in suicide
 Suicide Definition

Durkheim's definition: 
Suicide is applied to all cases of death
resulting directly or indirectly from a
positive (e.g., shooting oneself) or
negative act (e.g., refusing to eat) of the
victim himself, which he knows will
produce this result.
 Extra-Social Causes

 First, within the individual psychological

constitution there might exist an
inclination, normal or pathological,
varying from country to country, which
directly leads people to commit suicide.

 Second, the nature of the external

physical environment (climate,
temperature, etc.)
Social Causes and Social Types

 Egoistic Suicide

 Altruistic Suicide

 Anomic Suicide
 Egoistic Suicide

consequences of the individual's

insufficient integration within the
society to which he belongs
 Altruistic Suicide

consequences of the individual's

excessive integration within the
society to which he belongs
 Anomic Suicide
Durkheim used the term anomie to describe
this temporary condition of social
deregulation, and anomic suicide to describe
the resulting type of self-inflicted death;

This is the sphere of trade and industry, where

the traditional sources of societal regulation --
religion, government, and occupational groups
-- have all failed to exercise moral constraints
on an increasingly unregulated capitalist
economy.
 Suicide as a Social
Phenomenon
At any given moment, therefore, the moral
constitution of a society –
its insufficient or excessive degree of
integration or regulation -- establishes its
contingent rate of voluntary deaths, its
"natural aptitude" for suicide; and individual
suicidal acts are thus mere extensions and
expressions of these underlying currents of
egoism, altruism, and anomie.
Research studies around the world that discussed the links of
Juvenile Delinquency as contributing factors in suicide

1. Juvenile delinquency, social background

and suicide—a Swedish national cohort study
of 992 881 young adults

-Among females, 5.9%, and among males, 17.9% had at least one
conviction between the ages 15 and 19 years.

In the fully adjusted model, females with one conviction had a suicide
risk of 1.7 times higher (95% CI 1.2–2.4), the corresponding IRR for
men was 2.0 (95%CI 1.7–2.4) and 5.7 (95% CI 2.5–13.1) and 6.6 (95%
CI 5.2–8.3), for women and men with five or more convictions.
The effect of severe delinquency on suicide was independent of
parental educational level.
Research studies around the world that discussed the links of
Juvenile Delinquency as contributing factors in suicide

1. Juvenile delinquency, social background

and suicide—a Swedish national cohort study
of 992 881 young adults
-This study supports the hypothesis that individuals with
delinquent behavior in late adolescence have an
increased risk of suicide as young adults. Regardless of
causality issues, repeated juvenile offenders should be
regarded by professionals in health, social and
correctional services who come into contact with this
group
as a high-risk group for suicide.
Research studies around the world that discussed the links of
Juvenile Delinquency as contributing factors in suicide

2. Associations between delinquency and suicidal

behaviors in a nationally representative sample of
adolescents.
-Suicide was the second leading cause of death for
14-17 years olds in 2002. Prior studies indicate that
suicidal behaviors are especially common among
juvenile delinquents, yet this association has not
been examined in a national sample.
Research studies around the world that discussed the links of
Juvenile Delinquency as contributing factors in suicide

2. Associations between delinquency and suicidal behaviors

in a nationally representative sample of adolescents.
-The 2003 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System was used to
examine associations between suicidal behaviors and
delinquency in a nationally representative sample of 14-17 year
olds.
Results indicated that delinquent adolescents were more likely to
have seriously considered suicide (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =
5.44), made a suicide plan (AOR = 4.90), attempted suicide
(AOR = 10.08), and required medical treatment after attempting
suicide (AOR = 14.61) compared to their non-delinquent
counterparts.
Research studies around the world that discussed the links of
Juvenile Delinquency as contributing factors in suicide

3. Prospective associations between delinquency and suicidal

behaviors in a nationally representative sample.
-RESULTS:
Controlling for demographic variables, delinquency was
prospectively associated with an increased risk for all three suicidal
behaviors 1 year later, and to ideations and attempts 7 years later.

After controlling for other risk factors (i.e., depression, self-esteem,

problem drinking, impulsivity, religiosity), delinquency was still
significantly related to an increased likelihood for suicidal ideation 1
and 7 years later, and to suicide attempts 1 year later. Further,
delinquency was significantly related to suicidal ideation for girls
more than for boys.
Research studies around the world that discussed the links of
Juvenile Delinquency as contributing factors in suicide

3. Prospective associations between

delinquency and suicidal behaviors in a
nationally representative sample.

-These findings suggest that delinquent youth,

particularly delinquent girls, should be targeted
in interventions to reduce suicidal behaviors.
END