Colleagues,
Please see this Juvenile Justice Bulletin from the Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention regarding suicidality in juvenile detainees. The bulletin reports the results of a longitudinal study of youth detained at the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center in Chicago, IL.

Key findings include:
1. Approximately 1 in 10 detainees thought about suicide in the past six months, and 11 percent had attempted suicide.
2. More than 1/3 of male juveniles and nearly half of female juveniles felt “hopeless or thought a lot about death or dying in the 6 months prior to detention.”
3. Recent suicide attempts were most prevalent in female detainees and youth with anxiety disorders.
4. Fewer than half of detainees with recent thoughts of suicide had told anyone about their suicidal thoughts.

This bulletin underscores the critical need for effective mental health assessment, evaluation and treatment for juvenile justice youth and the risks associated with juvenile confinement.

Sincerely,
Sarah Eagan
Child Advocate, State of Connecticut