Age Some studies have found that younger inmates are at risk of suicide while others have found that older inmates are at greater risk. Daniel (2006), supports that younger inmates are at risk of suicide; inmates between 25 and 34 years old have committed more than half of the suicides in prisons. Aday (2003) cited in Tartaro and Ruddell (2006) support that the elderly population 55 years and older are at higher risk of suicide because they suffer from higher levels of depression and suicidal ideations. Dillon (2013), agrees that inmates 55 and older are at a higher risk of committing suicide compared to inmates that are ages 18 through 24. He stated that the rate of suicide among the older population continues to rise steadily.
Length of …show more content…
Prison Staff Researchers such as Daniel (2006) and Hautala (2015) have found that suicides occur frequently when staffing is low; between 7:00pm and 7:00am because of less supervision during the night and during weekends and holidays. Prison staff have a moral and legal responsibility to do their best in preventing suicides among inmates (Tartaro & Ruddell, 2006). This can be difficult because as many researchers (Hatcher, 2009; Hautala, 2015 & Daniel, 2006) stated staff lack the appropriate training needed to identify inmates who are risk of committing suicide. Having adequate training is important for all prison staff that come into contact with inmates especially correctional staff who are often the only staff available in the facility 24 hours a day.
Solitary Confinement Prison suicide is twice as likely to occur when an inmate is in a single cell (Dillon 2013). Solitary confinement can be used for a variety of reasons: as a form of punishment, inmate is at risk of harming themselves or voluntarily if an inmate chooses isolation in order to avoid harassment. Medical and psychological consequences that come with solitary confinement are self-harm, hallucinations, depression and anxiety (Steinbuch, 2014). According to Daniel and Fleming (2006) cited in Haynes (2010) the majority of inmates who commit suicide are housed in single …show more content…
According to Hatcher (2009) prisons did not seek to be the new mental health center but with the lack of funding for mental health care in communities, services placed victims with mental health illness in prisons. Due to limited impatient psychiatric resources jails are also responsible for housing inmates with mental health until a bed becomes available at a mental health hospital (Hautala, 2015).
This has forced prisons into a mental health provider role which staff are not properly prepared for. In the case of Sandra Bland, prior to committing suicide in her cell she informed a correctional staff of having a history of mental health and suicidal attempts; staff did not complete a high-fidelity mental health screening process or visual checks which are required by law. Bland was left out of sight for approximately two hours when she committed suicide. If staff had been given proper mental health and suicide prevention training the death of Sandra Bland could have been prevented (Hautala, 2015). Screening for mental health is a critical step in identifying inmates who are
Length of …show more content…
Prison Staff Researchers such as Daniel (2006) and Hautala (2015) have found that suicides occur frequently when staffing is low; between 7:00pm and 7:00am because of less supervision during the night and during weekends and holidays. Prison staff have a moral and legal responsibility to do their best in preventing suicides among inmates (Tartaro & Ruddell, 2006). This can be difficult because as many researchers (Hatcher, 2009; Hautala, 2015 & Daniel, 2006) stated staff lack the appropriate training needed to identify inmates who are risk of committing suicide. Having adequate training is important for all prison staff that come into contact with inmates especially correctional staff who are often the only staff available in the facility 24 hours a day.
Solitary Confinement Prison suicide is twice as likely to occur when an inmate is in a single cell (Dillon 2013). Solitary confinement can be used for a variety of reasons: as a form of punishment, inmate is at risk of harming themselves or voluntarily if an inmate chooses isolation in order to avoid harassment. Medical and psychological consequences that come with solitary confinement are self-harm, hallucinations, depression and anxiety (Steinbuch, 2014). According to Daniel and Fleming (2006) cited in Haynes (2010) the majority of inmates who commit suicide are housed in single …show more content…
According to Hatcher (2009) prisons did not seek to be the new mental health center but with the lack of funding for mental health care in communities, services placed victims with mental health illness in prisons. Due to limited impatient psychiatric resources jails are also responsible for housing inmates with mental health until a bed becomes available at a mental health hospital (Hautala, 2015).
This has forced prisons into a mental health provider role which staff are not properly prepared for. In the case of Sandra Bland, prior to committing suicide in her cell she informed a correctional staff of having a history of mental health and suicidal attempts; staff did not complete a high-fidelity mental health screening process or visual checks which are required by law. Bland was left out of sight for approximately two hours when she committed suicide. If staff had been given proper mental health and suicide prevention training the death of Sandra Bland could have been prevented (Hautala, 2015). Screening for mental health is a critical step in identifying inmates who are