Suicide In Prisons

One of the biggest issues in local jails, state prisons, and federal prisons are the suicide rates and the treatment of inmates with mental illness. Preventative measures have been implemented such as suicide screenings when inmates are first entered into prisons and jails. These preventative measures and assessments need to be improved because even now, the leading cause of death in jails since 2000 has been suicide (Noonan, Rohloff, & Ginder, 2015) and it has become worse rather than better. Studies were done by Noonan, Rohloff, and Ginder (2015), display a 14 percent increase in the suicide rate within jails between the year of 2012 and 2013. These statistics are disconcerting all on their own, but combine that with the rates of inmates …show more content…
This is a reason why not only should inmates be screened when they are initially brought into prisons or jails, but throughout their entire incarceration. During the time of inmate incarceration, there should be scheduled regular screenings for suicide to better assess suicide risk amongst inmates. The risk for suicide may increase over time within confinement and periodically assessing inmates may lower that risk or inform staff that certain inmates need to be monitored more closely. Owing to the fact that inmates may develop suicidal thoughts over time, a single initial screening is not enough. A metaphor expressed by Hayes (2013), “Screening for suicide risk during the initial booking and intake process should be viewed as something similar to taking one’s temperature – it can identify a current fever, but not a future cold”, better explains why there should be more than just one single initial …show more content…
Communication is key to preventing deterioration within an inmate’s mental stability. There needs to be communication between not only the correctional staff and mental health staff but also between the correctional staff and the inmates themselves. In accordance with the World Health Organization (2007), correctional officers are almost in constant contact with inmates and are the primary source of information about inmates and their mental stability. Their knowledge on inmates should correspond to the health staff so that the health staff can better prepare and medicate for these inmates dealing with mental health issues. This communication should go both ways because any steps that were taken or medications given to an inmate that may cause side effects or issues with other inmates and/or facility staff, health staff should inform facility staff so that they can also be better prepared to handle any situations that