@article{ref1,
title="Epidemiological survey of suicide ideation and acts and other deliberate self-harm among offenders in the community under supervision of the Probation Service in England and Wales",
journal="Criminal behaviour and mental health",
year="2014",
author="Pluck, Graham and Brooker, Charlie",
volume="24",
number="5",
pages="358-364",
abstract="BACKGROUND: There is a dearth of information on suicidal thoughts and acts or other acts of deliberate self-harm by offenders under community supervision. AIMS: The objective of this study is to estimate lifetime and one month prevalence of deliberate self-harm and to determine ongoing risk among offenders in the community under probation supervision. <br><br>METHODS: One hundred and seventy-three randomly selected offenders under supervision by the probation service in one county in England were screened for mental illness. All 88 screened cases and a one-in-five sample of non-cases were interviewed according to the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Inventory Module-B. False negatives (n = 17) were used to weight calculations and estimate prevalence for the whole group. <br><br>RESULTS: A third of the interviewed sample (n = 56) had a lifetime history of suicide attempts, and 9 (5%) had self-harmed in the month prior to interview. Lifetime suicide history was associated with suicidal ideation and deliberate self-harm in the prior month. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Our adjusted findings indicate that 25-40% of offenders serving all or part of their sentence in the community have a lifetime history of self-harm, which is similar to the rate among prisoners, and are at very much higher risk of further such acts or completed suicide than the general population. At a time of change in delivery of probation services the implications are that rates of suicide and other forms of deliberate self-harm should be continually assessed in all probation areas, particularly with reference to service changes; the relationship between deliberate acts of self-harm, suicidal ideation and completion of suicide should be investigated prospectively in larger studies; probation services are likely to need mental health expertise to manage these risks Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0957-9664",
doi="10.1002/cbm.1909",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cbm.1909"
}