Ep. 56. Second Chances Matter: Reducing Firearm Suicides

Policy Outsider

In 2020, the most recent year for which data are available, over half of all completed suicides in America involved a firearm–that is more than 24,000 Americans dying by firearm suicide in one year alone. However, suicide attempts involving a firearm account for fewer than 5 percent of all suicide attempts. September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and for this episode, we are re-issuing a recorded Twitter Spaces conversation hosted by Jaclyn Schildkraut, interim executive director of the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium at the Rockefeller Institute and Michael Anestis, the executive director of the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center at Rutgers University. The discussion focuses on the risk factors associated with firearm suicide as well as what policies and tools exist to help to mitigate firearm suicides.

Guests:

Jaclyn Schildkraut, interim executive director of the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium

Michael Anestis, executive director of the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center

Go in-depth:

• Preventing Suicide Through a Focus on Firearm Access and Storage
• New York State Firearm Storage Map
• New Jersey Firearm Storage Map
• Trevor Project
• US Department of Veterans Affairs’ Suicide Prevention Website
• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

If you or anyone you know are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please consider dialing 9-8-8 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. You can also text HOME to 741-741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.