Police Suicide's Missing Link: Plain and Simple Logical Models for Intervention and Prevention of Suicide (From Suicide and Law Enforcement, P 493-501, 2001, Donald C. Sheehan and Janet I. Warren, eds. -- See NCJ-193528)

• NCJ Number: 193571
• Author(s): Gary S. Aumiller
• Date Published: 2001
• Length: 9 pages
• Sale Source: US Dept of Justice
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Instructional Material
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: A paper submitted to the Suicide and Law Enforcement Conference, FBI Academy, Quantico, VA, September 1999.

Annotation

This article uses inductive and deductive reasoning to create logical models for the application of police-suicide research to intervention and prevention programming.

Abstract

Logical methods are required to create a working model that identifies the factors of suicide and their relationships to each other, leading to conclusions about actions that can be taken for assessment, treatment, and prevention. The two logical methods most appropriate for creating these logical models are logical diagramming and the logical equation. One type of logical diagram is a schemata approach used in the computer industry to portray computer circuits and specify the expected outputs from a specific set of inputs. The logical equation is a derivation from Euclidean mathematics that shows the factors of proofs and symbolic logic. Logical models are created through deductive reasoning and inductive reasoning. Deductive reasoning is the process of starting with a theory or piece of general information and then using that knowledge to account for specific results. Inductive reasoning works in the opposite direction, starting with specific results and moving to general principles. The research on police suicide has generated important results that are both general and specific. Research on suicide suggests that persons who kill themselves are in an altered mental state. Frequently, alcohol or drugs are involved. For many, there is an exacerbated state of mental illness. This article shows how the factors in suicide can be couched in a logical formula to yield a measure of suicide potential. Based on this formula, the article presents 12 initiatives for preventing police suicide by addressing each of the factors that increase the risk for suicide.