The Complex Relationship Between Community, Economic, Social Factors, Violent Crime, and Suicide

The current study examined suicide and violent crime data for 100 large municipalities in the United States. Suicide occurred more often when high school graduation rates were lower, but paradoxically, better income inequality rates predicted higher suicide, though this is consistent with international economic data. The frequency of mental distress predicted suicide as expected. Communities with higher proportions of black residents were more resilient to suicide, and why this is may be worth exploring in future research.