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Cited by 57Suicide and Self-Harm StudiesPolicing Practices and PerceptionsOccupational Health and Performance

Law enforcement worker suicide: an updated national assessment

Open access
Violanti, John M., Steege, Andrea·2021·Policing: An International Journal
DOI 10.1108/pijpsm-09-2019-0157PMC PMC8056254
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Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to update the assessment of national data on law enforcement worker suicide based on the National Occupational Mortality Surveillance database (NOMS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Design/methodology/approach: Death certificate data for 4,441,814 decedents, age 18–90 who died in one of the 26 reporting states were the source of NOMS data. Utilizing proportionate mortality ratios (PMRs), the ratio of suicides in law enforcement occupations in those who are 18–90 years old with a designated usual occupation was calculated. Findings: Findings indicate a significantly higher proportion of deaths from suicide for law enforcement officers (PMR = 154, 95% CI = 147–162), compared to all the US decedents in the study population who were employed during their lifetime. Law enforcement personnel are 54% more likely to die of suicide than all decedents with a usual occupation. PMRs were highest for African-Americans, Hispanic males and for females. PMRs were similar for detectives, corrections officers and all law enforcement jobs, when not stratified by race, ethnicity and sex. Research limitations/implications: Bias may arise because a PMR can be affected by disproportionate increased or decreased mortality from causes of death other than suicide. Practical implications: A better understanding of the scope of law enforcement suicide can inform policy focused on the planning and initiation of prevention programs. Originality/value: The use of a national database to study law enforcement worker suicide adds to other information available on law enforcement worker suicide in specific geographic areas. The discussion on prevention in this paper presents ideas for policy.

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  • In 11 years (1999, 2003, 2004, 2007-2014), 1241 suicide deaths of police officers occurred in the USA, making police officers 54% more likely to die from suicide compared to all other worker decedents in the study.

    “In 11 years (1999, 2003, 2004, 2007 -2014) a total of 1241 suicide deaths of police officers occurred in the USA, making police officers 54 % more likely to die from suicide compared to all other worker decedents in the study (Violanti and Steege, 2021).”

    From Psychosocial risk and protective factors associated with burnout in police officers: A systematic review (2023) · cites this paper as Violanti and Steege, 2021

    The Results report 1,241 suicide deaths and a 54% higher proportion of suicide deaths for the broader category of all law enforcement workers during the stated years. That category includes corrections personnel and other workers, not just police officers. The narrower detectives/criminal investigators/police category had 737 deaths and a 64% higher proportion. (LLM, conf=0.93)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Violanti, J. M., & Steege, A.
Affiliations
University at Buffalo, State University of New York (US)
ORCID
Venue
Policing: An International Journal
Publisher
Emerald
Published
2020-10-21
Volume
44
Issue
1
Pages
18-31
ISSN
1363-951X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1108/pijpsm-09-2019-0157
PMC
PMC8056254
OpenAlex
W3093614377
Cited by
57
References
12
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 1
FWCI
1.80
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.emerald.com/insight/site-policies (tdm)
Locations
  • Policing An International Journal (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (R01 OH010807)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Policing Practices and Perceptions
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Occupational Therapy › Occupational Health and Performance
Keywords
police officers, proportionate mortality ratio, occupational mortality, suicide prevention, corrections officers, detectives, racial and ethnic disparities, sex differences

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