Trauma and PTSD seem to be more prevalent among juvenile detainees than in community samples. We recommend directions for research and discuss implications for mental health policy.

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in U.S. jails; more than 400 jail inmates take their lives each year. Many risk factors for suicide are overrepresented in jail populations. The numbers of women incarcerated in the nation’s jails have increased dramatically in recent years. Yet most research on suicide has focused on males. This study assesses the rates and patterns of suicidal ideation and behavior among 1,272 women in jail. Overall, 53.7% reported suicidal ideation or suicidal behavior at some point in their lifetime. Non-Hispanic Whites were more likely than Hispanics to report thoughts of death (OR = 1.67), and more likely than African Americans to report wanting to die (OR = 1.59), thoughts of suicide (OR = 1.74), and previous suicide attempts (OR = 2.47). The authors discuss implications for research and the criminal justice system.

Current conceptualizations do not adequately explain the particular relational difficulties experienced by young adults who have been faced with the death of a sibling. In this study, the authors explore interrelationships between attachment style, coping style, repressive defensiveness, and the loss of a sibling in childhood. The findings suggest that this type of stressor may result in different coping reactions than other stressors. In particular, sibling loss seems to stimulate greater support seeking than withdrawal, regardless of attachment style. Sibling loss can pose particular relational challenges for the developing child because of the traumatic impact on the primary caregivers. This fact makes it important for therapists to have an understanding of some of the potential consequences of this particular traumatic event.