What differentiates prisoners who attempt suicide from those who experience suicidal ideation? A nationally representative study

Abstract

Objective: Many people who think about suicide do not engage in suicidal behavior. Identifying risk factors implicated in the process of behavioral enaction is crucial for suicide prevention, particularly in high-risk groups such as incarcerated offenders. Method: Cross-sectional data were drawn from a nationally representative sample of 17,891 prisoners (79% men) in the United States. We compared prisoners who attempted suicide (n = 2496) with those who thought about suicide but never made an attempt (n = 1716) on a range of established risk factors. Results: More than half (59%) of participants who experienced suicidal ideation had also attempted suicide. Violent offending, trauma, brain injury, alcohol abuse, and certain mental disorders independently distinguished attempters from ideators. Conclusion: Our results fit within recent ideation-to-action theories that emphasize the role of a capability for suicide in the transition from thoughts to acts of suicide.