Award Date

1-1-2007

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Mathematical Sciences

First Committee Member

Sandra Catlin

Number of Pages

50

Abstract

This study has three objectives. The first two objectives are to determine if neighborhood level gun availability has an effect on suicide method and suicide fatality. The third is to test that para-suicides (i.e., attempted suicides) with a mental disorder are more likely than para-suicides without a mental disorder to attempt suicide by firearm. Neighborhood is defined by zip code. The number of homicides for each zip code divided by the number of firearm related homicides in each zip code is used as a proxy for neighborhood level gun availability. Data on suicides and para-suicides occurring in Chicago front 1990-1997 are combined. Generalized linear mixed models are used to explore the first two objectives. A chi-square test is used for the third. We conclude that neighborhood level gun availability increases the likelihood of choosing a firearm as the suicide method and has no effect on the likelihood of a suicide being fatal. Para-suicides with a mental disorder are less likely to attempt suicide by firearm.

Keywords

Availability; Fatality; Firearm; Suicide

Controlled Subject

Statistics; Criminology

File Format

pdf

File Size

1576.96 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

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