Forensic Suicides and Attempted Suicides

Abstract

Forensic suicides and suicide attempts challenge certain premises long held by classical suicidologists. Integration and status or personal loss do not appear to be critical factors when considering forensic suicide behavior. Instead, rage and marginality surface as the paramount factors. Although it is obvious that anomie is a dimension of marginality, it is important to note that marginal members of society fail, for whatever reason, to adequately internalize an acceptable or meaningful normative model from which to assess their successes and/or failures. Consequently “loss,” as it is implied within the classical perspective, does not seem to be a significant factor associated with most forensic suicides. Here, chronic ambiguity and free-floating rage, attributes exacerbated by the jail-like environment of many forensic units, pose a situation whereby either the self or others become convenient targets for aggression release.