From the Forward of the Publication:

It is my pleasure to present to you the report Juvenile Suicide in Confinement: A National Survey. This study, commissioned by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in 1999, is the first comprehensive effort to determine the scope and distribution of suicides by youth confined in our public and private juvenile facilities throughout the country. In many ways, this report closely supports two prior initiatives funded by this office, both Conditions of Confinement: Juvenile Detention and Corrections Facilities and the Performance-Based Standards Project. This report should be viewed as a working companion to those landmark OJJDP initiatives.

The results of this research present many challenges to both direct care and health care personnel who work with confined youth on a daily basis, as well as for administrators who have the responsibility for providing safety and security to this very vulnerable population. Suicide prevention is a primary goal for all of us who work in and manage juvenile facilities. At a minimum, however, we must ensure that each death within our facilities is accounted for, comprehensively reviewed, and provisions made for appropriate corrective action. It is my hope that the data and insights offered in this comprehensive first national survey will provide motivation for continued efforts at reducing the opportunity for suicide within our public and private juvenile facilities throughout the country.

J. Robert Flores
Administrator
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention