NCJ Number
75332
Journal
Children and Youth Services Review Volume: 2 Issue: 3 Dated: special issue (1980) Pages: 331-342
Date Published
1981
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Following an examination of adolescent suicide and youth suicide in correctional facilities this article examines interdisciplinary intervention strategies applicable in the institutional setting.
Abstract
Suicide has been rated as the third leading cause of death among youth aged 15 to 24. Adolescents attempting suicide tend to come from disrupted families, often with parental absence, and tend to see themselves as rejected and unjustly treated. Many adolscents use suicide as a tool for manipulation and power. Because juvenile correctional facilities tend to receive the most disturbed adolescents, the problem of suicide is particularly significant for them. Many such institutions are large; in them withdrawn children receive little or no attention. Withdrawal becomes progressivly greater and often results in a suicide attempt. Facilities need to construct therapeutic framework in which an adolescent can develop self-definition and a plan for living. The availability of treatment staff is especially important in large institutions. Programs should emphasize behavior change rather than conformity. The intervention point is an important factor in the treatment of suicidal adolescents. The therapeutic process should focus on assisting these youth to identify and appreciate their need for other people. Treatment should include work with the family. Group counseling is useful in institutional settings; prevention is the ultimate solution. Twenty-two references are included.