Suicide Among Personality-Disordered Offenders: a Follow-Up Study of 1943 Male Criminal Offenders

Suicide was studied among all 1943 male criminal offenders in Sweden who had undergone a major forensic psychiatric examination 1988-1991, with special reference to offenders with personality disorders. The cohort was followed until the end of 1995. 50 individuals died by suicide during the follow-up period. The standardised mortality ratio among personality-disordered offenders was 1212. No specific principal diagnosis showed significantly increased risk for completed suicide. However, concomitant depression & drug abuse were significantly linked to suicide. There was no association between violent index criminality or between lifetime violent criminality & choice of a violent suicide method. (16 refs.)