NCJ Number
193540
Date Published
2001
Length
14 pages
Annotation
In addition to an overview of issues related to suicides of FBI agents, this article describes the FBI's internal Employee Assistance Plan, which provides services that can help prevent agent suicides.
Abstract
Available data indicate that there have been 24 agent suicides from 1925 through 1989. Between 1990 and June 1999, there were an additional 16 agent suicides, bringing the total to 40. The average number of suicides per year for FBI agents from 1993 through May 1999 was two per year. The most common factor that contributes to suicides by FBI agents is depression. This condition is aggravated by an agent subculture that encourages the suppression of emotions and independent, isolated coping with problems. This can lead to defective and painful thoughts that can lead to suicide. Other factors that contribute to agent suicides are posttraumatic stress disorder, frustration with the bureaucracy, easy access to firearms, and the insensitivity of management. The FBI's Employee Assistance Unit (EAU) has an ongoing concern about suicide. The EAU trains employees and managers to recognize the causes, signs, and symptoms for depression, the leading cause of suicide. The EAU, in collaboration with the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit, has initiated research into the effects of antidepressant medication on an agent's ability to perform job tasks and the identification of risk factors for suicide within the FBI. Other programs designed to prevent agent suicide are a chaplains program, a critical incident stress debriefing program, and post-critical incident seminars that involve peer support. Recommendations for improvements are enhanced orientation programs for spouses, additional channels of communication between FBI families and the EAU, establishment of a support system when FBI families transfer, and implementation of a proactive stress management program for FBI families. 3 tables