Suicidal Fragility of Young Offenders. Phenomenological Interpretative Analysis of Custody Experience
In the province of Quebec, about 430 young people a year are sentenced to custody in a rehabilitation center under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Although it is a measure for young offender and societal safety, the custody is described as a risk factor for suicide. Unfortunately, the reasons that make custody a difficult experience for young offenders remain unexplored. This research uses a qualitative method and takes place in a phenomenological approach. The objective is to explore the personal representations of young offenders, their reported experiences, perceptions and emotions about time spent in rehabilitation centers. We give a voice to ten young offenders, using semi-structured interviews. The results of the interpretative phenomenological analysis suggest that majority of participants have a negative experience in rehabilitation center, reporting having experienced difficult emotions. It is mostly living with educators, living with other young people, having to abide by strict rules and being cut off from the world that creates distress among young people. The implications for research and intervention are discussed.