Suicide rate in prison Essay Example

Suicide rate in prison Essay Example Suicide rate in prison Essay Suicide rate in prison Essay Essay Topic: Blankets Prison inmates have a higher suicide rate than those in the general community.   In the US, research shows that for inmates housed in pretrial facilities, the suicide rate is ten times that of the outside community (World Health Organisation 2000).   In facilities accommodating sentenced prisoners, the suicide rate is three times greater than in the outside community (World Health Organisation 2000). Additionally, it is worth pointing out that for every successful suicide attempt, there are numerous more unsuccessful suicide attempts (World Health Organisation 2000).   Suicide rates in prison have steadily increased over the decades. In the US, the number of inmates who take their own life has overtaken and now more than doubles the number of inmates that are killed by other prisoners (Wortley 2002).   In 1990, 134 inmates in US prisons committed suicide.   In 1995, the number rose to 169 (Stephan 1997).   In the UK, the number of suicides in prison was 37 in the year 198 8, and rose to 82 in 1998 (HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales 1999: 12).According to Hayes (1995), one of the most constant findings in his research was that suicide rates are highest among smaller prison systems.   This finding, Hayes argued, reflects the lack of resources that smaller prisons tend to have.   This finding obviously shows that the prison environment is an important factor implicated in prison suicide.Research shows that hanging is the most common manner in which inmates commit suicide.   In a British study, 90 per cent of inmates committed suicide by hanging themselves, 4 per cent did it via poison or drug overdose, 3 per cent via cutting themselves, and 1 per cent via smoke inhalation or burns (Dooley 1990).   These figures are similar to those found by Hayes (1995) in the US, who found that 96 per cent of inmates committed suicide by hanging themselves, and the rest did it via cutting themselves or ingesting drugs. Similarly, White and Sch immel (1995) found that 79 per cent of prison suicides were done by hanging, 7 per cent by jumping to their deaths, while drug overdose, shooting and cutting accounted for 5 per cent each.Research conducted on attempted suicide shows that the most common way inmates attempt, unsuccessfully, to kill themselves is by cutting or slashing their wrists.   Inch et al (1995) found that 64 per cent of inmates attempted suicide by cutting, 32 per cent by hanging and 4 per cent by swallowing a sharp object.According to Hayes and Rowan (1988), the statistics for specific instruments involved in prison suicide are as follows: 48 per cent of inmates use bedding, 34 per cent use clothes, 5 per cent use shoelace, 4 per cent use towels, 2 per cent use belts, and 1 per cent use guns.   The rest of the instruments utilized in prison suicide are knives, razor blades, drugs, glass, and knives, however these account for only 1 per cent each (Wortley 2002).Who commits suicide in prisonAn analysis was made of 52 suicides in New York prisons between 1986 and 1994 (Hayes 1995).   The analysis revealed that white inmates, who represented 18 per cent of the prison population, accounted for 42 per cent of the suicides.   In comparison, black inmates represented 50 per cent of the prison population, but accounted for only 20 per cent of suicides (Hayes 1995).   Further, this study found that while inmates condemned for violent crimes represented   56 per cent of the prison population, they accounted for 80 per cent of suicides.   With respect to length of incarceration, 64 per cent of all victims committed suicide within 2 years of incarceration. 66 per cent of the victims had mandatory minimum sentences of at least 4 years, and 23 per cent of victims were serving life sentences (Hayes 1995).Inmates under 21 years of age are more likely to commit suicide than older inmates (Worltey 2002).   According to Wortley, younger prisoners tend to react more intensely and more impul sively than older prisoners.   Another explanation for the higher rate of suicide among young prisoners could be that bullying and harassment are greater in prisons with larger numbers of youths (Wortley 2002).   Additionally, Dooley (1990) found that occurrences of suicides in prisons with high youth populations had the effect of inciting other young prisoners to imitate the behaviour.CausesSocial isolation is regarded by psychologists as the most important cause of suicide (Berman, 2007).   It is not surprising therefore, that the prison environment, being one of loneliness, deprivation, hardship, and isolation from their friends and family, has a strong influence in prison suicide victims and can offer an explanation to the higher suicide rate in prisons.Modern psychologists have described several common characteristics found in suicides.   These include a sense of unbearable psychological pain, a sense of isolation from others, and the opinion that death is the only solu tion to problems for which a person feels hopeless and powerless (Berman 2007).   One would think that an environment such as that found in a prison would seem to foster those very feelings in their inmates.Mental health problems are also believed by experts to be a major factor in suicides (Berman 2007).   Not surprisingly, a relatively high incidence of mental-health problems is found among prison suicide victims.   According to White and Schimmel (1995), in a study conducted on 43 suicides, 23 victims had a prior psychiatric diagnosis, including 11 diagnosed with severe psychotic disturbance, 6 with affective disorder and 4 with paranoid ideation.   17 of the victims had previously attempted suicide at least once (White Schimmel 1995).At the same time, the evidence suggests that there is a direct relationship between prison suicide and the experience of being in prison (Wortley 2002).   A previous record of psychiatric treatment is less likely for prison suicide victim s, than for suicides of the general community.   In research conducted by Liebling, et al (1999), the percentage of prison suicide victims with past psychiatric treatment was 33 per cent, and the percentage of suicide victims in the general community with past psychiatric treatment was 80 to 90 per cent.   This once again suggests that the prison environment itself plays an important factor in prison suicide.According to Wortley, 30 per cent of inmates who had attempted suicide said the reason for doing so was threats or teasing by other inmates, 24 per cent said that it was because they had been punished or placed in segregation, 22 per cent said that their sentence was longer than they expected, 12 per cent had received or were expecting to receive a letter from a loved one, 8 per cent had received an unwanted transfer, and 4 per cent had had their parole rejected. White and Schimmel (1995) found that the most common factors were new legal problems (28 per cent), relationship problems (23 per cent) and conflicts with other inmates (23 per cent).Security levelResearch has shown a greater number of suicides and attempted suicides in maximum security prisons than in medium and minimum security prisons (White Schimmel 1995).   A possible reason for this could be than maximum security prisons are more disheartening and gloomy, or it could be that maximum security prisons house more suicide-risk inmates. In any case, this shows that the additional restrictions and observations that occur in maximum security prisons are not enough to prevent inmates from killing themselves (Wortley 2002).Stage of sentenceOne of the most constant results with respect to prison suicide is that the risk is greater while prisoners are on remand or in the early stages of their sentence (White and Schimmel 1995).   Over 50 per cent of jail suicides occur within the first 24 hours of incarceration, and 26 per cent occur within the first three hours (Hayes 1995).   In prison, 17 per cent of suicides occur within the first week of incarceration and 51 per cent within the first three months (Dooley 1990).   Obviously, the first months in prison are the hardest and the most difficult to cope with, and this can push some inmates over the edge.There is also evidence of a relationship between time served and suicide.   Prisoners with sentences over twenty years seem to have a higher suicide risk.   In one study, this group accounted for 28 per cent of suicides but represented only a 12 per cent of the prison population. (Wortley 2002).   It is reasonable to concur that the high prison sentences most likely gave the inmates a deep sense of hopelessness.This paper will now proceed to outline several strategies to prevent prison suicide.Prevention of Prison SuicideIncreased visitation rightsAs previously mentioned, feelings of isolation from family and friends is a key factor in suicides.   It is beneficial to prisoners that they have adequate visiting ar rangements and facilities in order for them to not feel so isolated.   These visits are important because it would provide much needed emotional support that may protect inmates from despair and irrational thinking during their difficult times in prison.   If the prisoner can make physical contact with his loved ones this would be even better (Reser 1992). These visits can be of special significance to some cultural groups, as some research has identified lack of family contact as the crucial factor in prison suicides among some cultural groups such as Australian Aborigines (Johnston 1991).Increasing guard patrols and surveillanceA successful surveillance regime in prisons, with regular guard patrols and close-circuit television, can lower suicide rates in prisons.   Hayes reported on a successful suicide prevention regime in a US prison in which close-circuit television and physical checks were conducted at least every five minutes, depending on an inmates suicide-risk level.    Additional random checks were made so that inmates could never predict them and so had no opportunity to kill themselves.   The result of this regime was that over a 12 year period, only one suicide occurred among 57,000 processed inmates (Hayes 1995).Cell designTo prevent suicide, something should be done about the design of windows and doors so that they are unable to be utilized as hanging points.   Similarly, the design of ventilation covers and light fixtures should be altered so that they cannot be used as hanging points (Atlas 1989).   Metal door bars should be replaced with polycarbonate glazing; light fixtures and ventilation covers should be covered with tamperproof screen; exposed pipes, brackets, hinges, knobs and electrical outlets should be eliminated.   Additionally, to help elevate the depressing mood in prison cells, cells should have access to natural sunlight and be painted in pastel rather institutional colors (Atlas 1989).Role of staffStaff should b e appropriately trained in suicide prevention, and strategies to prevent suicide should be carefully outlined in prison policy documents and given to staff. There is a need to provide staff with the necessary information about suicide and suicide prevention.   Staff should be made aware of the signs of suicide-risk inmates and the appropriate protocols for dealing with suicide-risk inmates.   Inappropriate staff attitudes such as that nothing can be done to stop a suicidal inmate, or that suicide attempts are meant only to get attention, should be done away with.   Any sign that suggest that an inmate could be suicidal should be taken seriously (Wortley 2002).Restriction of dangerous itemsThe instruments used to commit suicide in prison are those that are easily available to inmates.   Hanging with the use of clothing and bedding, is the most common way in which suicide is accomplished.   Together with the elimination of hanging points, suicide by hanging can be reduced wi th the use of tear-resistant sheets and blankets (Wortley 2002).   The restriction of razor blades, and other objects that could be fashioned to inflict self-harm is obviously another way in which prison suicides could be prevented.   The main task here lies in identifying which items prisoners can utilize to harm themselves, which is not always easy to accomplish as prisoners in the past have imaginatively used what one would think were harmless items, such as toothbrushes, to commit suicide (Wortley 2002).ConclusionHigh prison suicide rates are a worldwide phenomenon.   Several causes for this have been suggested, but perhaps the most relevant is the prison environment itself which drives vulnerable inmates, especially younger the inmates, into committing suicide.   The strategies presented in this paper for preventing prison suicide could be utilized to control prison suicide rates.   The control and lowering of prison suicide rates is important, as suicide has a devast ating emotional impact on surviving family members and friends of suicide victims.ReferencesAtlas, R. (1989). Reducing the opportunity for inmate suicide: A design guide Psychiatric Quarterly 60, 161–71Berman, A. (2007). Suicide.   In Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2007. (Online), Retrieved March 15, 2007. http://encarta.msn.comDooley, E. (1990). Non-natural deaths in prison British Journal of Criminology, 30, 229–34.Hayes, L. (1995). Prison suicide: An overview and a guide to prevention Prison Journal, 75, 431–56.Hayes, L. M. Rowan, J. R. (1988). National Study of Jail Suicides: Seven Years Later. Virginia: National Center on Institutions and Alternatives.HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales. (1999) Suicide Is Everyones Concern: A Thematic Review. London: HMSO.Inch, H., Rowlands, P., ; Soliman, A. (1995). Deliberate self-harm in a young offenders institution Journal of Forensic Psychiatry 6, 161–71.Johnston, E. (1991). National R eport of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service.Liebling, A., Muir, G., Rose, G. Bottoms, A. (1999) Incentives and Earned Privileges for Prisoners - an Evaluation, London: Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate.Reser, J. (1992). The design of safe and humane police cells: A discussion of some issues relating to Aboriginal people in police custody, in D. Biles and D. McDonald (eds. ), Deaths in Custody Australia, 1980–1989, Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology.Stephan, J. (1997). Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities, 1995. Washington DC: US Department of Justice.White, T.   Schimmel, D. (1995) Suicide prevention in federal prisons: A successful five-step program Prison Suicide: An Overview and Guide to Prevention, Washington DC: US Department of Justice, pp. 48–59.World Health Organization. (2000). Preventing suicide: a resource for prison officers (Onl ine), Retrieved March 15, 2007. www.who.int/mental_health/media/en/60.pdfWortley, R. (2002). Situational Prison Control: Crime Prevention in Correctional Institutions.   England: Cambridge University Press.