Prison Inmates' Suicidal Ideation in China: A Study of Gender Differences and Their Impact

• NCJ Number: 233368
• Journal: International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 54 Issue: 6 Dated: December 2010 Pages: 959-983
• Author(s): Jie Zhang; Bin Liang; Yong Zhou; Wendy Brame
• Date Published: December 2010
• Length: 25 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

With data collected from three adult prisons in China, this study tests gender differences on prison inmates' suicidal risk factors and explores the correlation of gender's impact with other factors.

Abstract

Suicide is one of the leading causes of inmate death, and many studies have explored suicidal risks among inmates in Western countries. Such studies, however, have been extremely rare in China. Because of China's unique cultural and social conditions, suicide displays many distinctive features and one of them is the greater percentage of women (than men) who commit suicide. Findings show that male and female inmates present distinctive patterns of suicidal ideation, although gender fails to exert a significant direct impact on the outcome. The results call for different approaches and treatments toward both gender groups for suicide prevention in Chinese correctional facilities. (Published Abstract)