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Zusammenhang zwischen Art der strafbaren Handlung und Suizid in Haftanstalten der USA

Relationship between suicide in United States jails and prisons and criminal offense

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Forensische Psychiatrie, Psychologie, Kriminologie Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Zusammenfassung

Hat die Art der zur Anklage bzw. Verurteilung führenden strafbaren Handlung einen Einfluss darauf, ob ein Insasse einer Haftanstalt unter lokaler („jail“) oder bundes-/einzelstaatlicher („prison“) Kontrolle sich das Leben nimmt? In den Vereinigten Staaten liefern einige bundesweite Erhebungen relevante Informationen zur Beantwortung dieser Frage. Studien aus den Jahren 1979, 1985 und 1986 zu Suiziden in lokalen Haftanstalten zeigten, dass es bei den meisten Insassen, die Selbstmord begingen, um nichtgewalttätige Straftaten ging – einschließlich Drogendelikten und geringfügiger Straftaten. In aktuelleren USA-weiten Erhebungen betrug die Suizidrate bei Insassen lokaler Haftanstalten, denen Gewaltstraftaten vorgeworfen wurden, das Dreifache der Rate derer, denen nichtgewalttätige Straftaten vorgeworfen wurden. Die Straftaten mit den höchsten Suizidraten waren Entführung, Vergewaltigung und Tötung. In staatlichen Haftanstalten, in denen die Suizidrate viel niedriger als in lokalen Haftanstalten ist, war die Suizidrate gewalttätiger Häftlinge doppelt so hoch wie die nichtgewalttätiger Häftlinge. Zu den Gewaltstraftaten mit den höchsten Suizidraten in staatlichen Haftanstalten gehörten Entführung, Tötung, sexuelle Nötigung und Körperverletzung.

Die Diskussion zielt auf die Diskrepanz zwischen den Ergebnissen der anfänglichen Erhebungen von Suiziden in lokalen Haftanstalten und den aktuelleren Erhebungen von Suiziden in lokalen und staatlichen Haftanstalten. Ferner werden mögliche Erklärungen für das früher bestehende Vorherrschen nichtgewalttätiger Straftaten bei Suizidopfern, die aktuell erhöhten Raten bei Gewaltstraftaten und die erhöhten Raten bei bestimmten strafbaren Handlungen untersucht. Kommentiert werden auch die praktischen Auswirkungen dieser Ergebnisse.

Abstract

Does the nature of the criminal charge or conviction influence whether a jail or prison inmate will take his life? In the United States several nationwide surveys provide relevant information for answering this question. Studies of jail suicides in 1979, 1985 and 1986 respectively indicated that most inmates who committed suicide were charged with nonviolent offenses including drug related or minor offenses. In more recent national surveys the rate of suicide among jail inmates charged with violent offenses was triple that for those charged with nonviolent offenses. Offenses with the highest rates of suicide were kidnapping, rape and homicide. In prisons, where the rate of suicide is much lower than in jails, the rate of suicide for violent prisoners was twice that for nonviolent prisoners. Violent offenses with the highest rates of suicide in prisons included kidnapping, homicide, sexual assault and assault.

Discussion addresses the discrepant results between the early surveys of jail suicides and the more recent surveys of suicides in jails and prisons. Further explored are possible explanations for the earlier predominance of nonviolent offenses among suicide victims, the recently elevated rates among violent offenses, and the elevated rates among specific criminal offenses. Commentary is also given to the practical implications of these findings.

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Danksagung

Wir danken Frau Sigrid Tepest für die Unterstützung bei der Übersetzung.

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  1. Forensic Psychiatry Division, Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, 1438 South Grand Blvd., 63104, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA

    Alan R. Felthous M.D.

  2. Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52057, Aachen, Deutschland

    Henning Saß

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Felthous, A., Saß, H. Zusammenhang zwischen Art der strafbaren Handlung und Suizid in Haftanstalten der USA. Forens Psychiatr Psychol Kriminol 4, 170–181 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11757-010-0068-1

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