Date of Conferral

12-9-2024

Degree

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)

School

Psychology

Advisor

Jessica Millimen

Abstract

Deputy sheriffs working in correctional facilities are responsible for enforcing rules and regulations of the facility, supervising inmates, ensuring security, and preventing inmates from escaping. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of deputy sheriffs experiencing an inmate’s death by suicide. The sample for this study consisted of six deputy sheriffs who had been a deputy sheriff for at least 3 years and experienced an inmate suicide. The theoretical foundation applied to this study is the personal construct theory because it requires constructs that are used to make sense of people’s experiences, in this case understanding the experiences of deputy sheriffs. Participants were interviewed face-to-face and via Zoom using open-ended interviews. The data from the interviews were analyzed and coded using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The findings revealed that through the deputy sheriffs’ years of experience, they can recognize suicidal behaviors of inmates; however, they are not always capable of preventing the inmate from committing suicide. The findings provide a better understanding of deputy sheriffs’ experiences and how they managed and coped with inmate suicide by recognizing and responding to warning signs and having a support system through their professional and/or personal life. A policy that is specific to the deputy sheriff’s needs can be implemented. Furthermore, the results could contribute to positive social change by prompting correctional administration to provide a mandatory emotional support program for deputy sheriffs to be required to attend following an inmate suicide.

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