Skip to main content
Log in

Suicide risk among correctional officers: A logistic regression analysis

  • Published:
Archives of Suicide Research

Abstract

Research on suicide in correctional facilities has focused on inmates to the neglect of correctional officers. Research on factors such as stress, burnout, and work dissatisfaction has often found high levels of these problems among guards. The present study analyses data from 21 states to ascertain whether guards are at risk of suicide. The results of a multivariate logistic regression analysis indicate that the risk of suicide among guards in 39% higher than that of the rest of the working age population.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Castillo, D. & Jenkins, E. (1994). Industries and occupations at high risk of workplace related homicide. Journal of Occupational Medicine, 36, 125–132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cullen, F., Link, B., Cullen, J. & Wolfe, N. (1989). How satisfying is prison work? A comparative occupational approach? Journal of Offender Counseling, Services, and Rehabilitation, 14, 89–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Danto, B., Olszewski, & Anthony, S. (1981). Crisis behind bars: The suicidal inmate. Warren, MI: Dale.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gardner, R. (1981). Guard stress. Corrections Magazine, 7, 7–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holley, H., Arboleda-Florez, & Love, E. (1995). Lifetime prevalence of prior suicide attempts in a remanded population and relationship to current mental illness. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 19(3), 191–209.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lester, D. (1993). Suicide behind bars. Philadelphia: Charles.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liebling, A. (1993). Suicide in young prisoners: A summary. Death Studies, 17, 381–409.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindquist, C. & Whitehead, J. (1986). Burnout, job stress, and job satisfaction among southern correctional officers. Journal of Offender Counseling Services and Rehabilitation, 10, 5–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Menard, S. (1995). Applied logistic regression analysis. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Philliber, S. (1987). Thy brother's keeper: A review of the literature on correctional officers. Justice Quarterly, 4, 9–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stack, S. & Wasserman, I. (1993). Marital status, alcohol abuse, and suicide. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 55, 1018–1024.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stohr, M., Lovrich, N. & Wilson, G. (1994). Staff stress in contemporary jails. Journal of Criminal Justice, 22, 313, 327.

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Public Health Service (1994). Mortality detail files, 1990: Codebook. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Stack, S.J., Tsoudis, O. Suicide risk among correctional officers: A logistic regression analysis. Archives of Suicide Research 3, 183–186 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009677102357

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009677102357

Navigation