Suicides Among U.S. Border Patrol Agents Increase

Since February of 2008 at least 15 U.S. Border Patrol agents have committed suicide. This is the largest spike in suicides the agency has seen in the last 20 years. Officials are unsure of the exact cause of the increase in suicide rate and some insist the suicides have nothing to do with the agency itself.

Due to the increasingly violent U.S.-Mexico border, the Border Patrol has doubled in size since 2004. All but two of the most recent deaths involved agents in Texas, California and Arizona. Administrators for the agency have started suicide-prevention initiatives, including training for supervisors, videos about the warning signs, and other educational programs for Border Patrol agents all across the nation.

It is reported that suicide rates among law enforcement are usually higher than the general population; however, the Border Patrol now ranks above the typical rates for law enforcement.

To read more about the possible causes of suicides among Border Patrol agents, please visit: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38727328/ns/us_news-security

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