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Today, suicide has become a major public health concern, accounting for around 1.4% of deaths worldwide (Brådvik, 2018). Brådvik (2018) reports that up to 90% of suicides are related to psychiatric conditions, depression, substance abuse, and psychosis. Other conditions such as anxiety, personality-, eating-, and trauma-related disorders also put a person at a higher risk of suicidality. This essay explores suicide statistics in the United Kingdom, especially in criminal justice settings, and outlines the limitations of statistical data.
The Office for National Statistics (2019) defines suicide as death from intentional self-harm for individuals over ten years old. The definition also includes deaths from an injury or poisoning with an undetermined intent for persons aged 15 and older. 2018 was marked with a total of 6,507 suicides registered in the UK, which is an 11% increase from 2017. The suicide rate in the UK is around 11.2 deaths per 100,000 people. However, overall, the Office for National Statistics (2019) observes a downward trend starting in 1981.
Despite some improvements on a larger scale, some categories of people continue to be more prone to suicidal behaviour. For instance, suicide deaths among males are a significant public health concern. It is men who commit 75% of suicides, with a rate of 17.2 deaths per 100,000 male populations. What is more, the suicide rate among men is on the rise while for females, it remains stable and relatively low (5.4 deaths per 100,000 female populations).
Lately, the UK has seen a surge in the number of suicide deaths in prison. Two-thirds of UK prisoners suffer from personality disorders and 15% – from anxiety and depression. Since mental disorders are associated with suicidality, especially in a setting with reduced access to health services, the increased suicide rate is explicable. PA Media (2019) reports that the number of suicide deaths rose by 6% in 2019, with the majority of them being drug poisoning. It raises concerns regarding mental health care in prisons and access to lethal drugs.
There are still barriers to collecting accurate and reliable data regarding suicide rates in the United Kingdom. The Office for National Statistics (2019) states that there has been a change in the standard of proof employed by coroners in England and Wales. Previously, coroners were using the “criminal standard” to determine that a death was indeed caused by suicide beyond all reasonable doubt. Now, however, they calculate the balance of probabilities as per the established “civil standard.” The Office for National Statistics (2019) predicts that said change will result in an increased number of deaths classified as suicide, which might create a discontinuity in national data.
Apart from that, there are registration delays that also complicate data collection. The Office for National Statistics (2019) explains that in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, all unexpected deaths are due to be investigated by a coroner. The process, referred to as an “inquest” in professional circles, can be quite time-consuming. In some cases, the proper investigation takes months if not years to complete. It creates a gap between the date of death and the date of death registration or a “registration delay.” However, the official institutions take into consideration only the date of death registration. Thus, some deaths that are registered this year might have happened last year, which surely skews the picture.
References
Brådvik, L. (2018). Suicide risk and mental disorders.International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(9), 2028. WEb.
The Office for National Statistics. (2019).Suicides in the UK: 2018 registrations. Web.
PA Media. (2019). Self-inflicted deaths rise in prisons in England and Wales.The Guardian. Web.
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