Suicide in Prison
Suicide in Prison
Introduction:
“Suicide is a huge, but largely preventable, public health problem, causing almost half of all violent death in the world, resulting in almost one million fatalities every year and economic costs in the billions of dollars, according to the World Health Organization” (quoted in Pompili & Lester & Innamorati & Casale & Girardi, 2009,1155). According to Kupers (quoted in Heuy & Mculty, 2005, 490) “in the United States, suicide rates among prison inmates are higher than in the general population and suicide accounts for more than half of all deaths in custody”. The “rates of suicide…within prisoner populations have generally increased over the past few decades” (Perry & Olason, 2009, 385). Unfortunately, “there is not just more suicidality within the institutions but more people who are imprisoned show suicidal thoughts and behavior throughout the course of their lives”, according to Jenkins ( quoted in Konrad&, Daigle&, Daniel & Dear & Frottier, 2007,114 ). Identifying key risk factors and proper assessment of high-risk offenders will contribute to the “Understanding [of] the process by which certain prisoners, under certain circumstances, contemplate, plan, and decide to end their lives [which] is critical to suicide prevention” (Bonner, 2006, 250). Improving prison conditions along with “increasing the provision and participation of inmates in rehabilitation, education, and work skills training programs” (Heuy & Mculty, 2005, 508) will aid the United States toward decreasing prison suicide rates and bettering the health of inmates.
Summarization of Article
A qualitative study was conducted throughout six state prison facilities in Oregon with the purpose “to study dynamic variables by examining the experiences of 24 inmates who attempted suicide in prison” (Suto & Arnaut, 2010, 1). By focusing on these “dynamic variables”, this study differentiates from “existing research on prison suicides [which] has been criticized for
Introduction:
“Suicide is a huge, but largely preventable, public health problem, causing almost half of all violent death in the world, resulting in almost one million fatalities every year and economic costs in the billions of dollars, according to the World Health Organization” (quoted in Pompili & Lester & Innamorati & Casale & Girardi, 2009,1155). According to Kupers (quoted in Heuy & Mculty, 2005, 490) “in the United States, suicide rates among prison inmates are higher than in the general population and suicide accounts for more than half of all deaths in custody”. The “rates of suicide…within prisoner populations have generally increased over the past few decades” (Perry & Olason, 2009, 385). Unfortunately, “there is not just more suicidality within the institutions but more people who are imprisoned show suicidal thoughts and behavior throughout the course of their lives”, according to Jenkins ( quoted in Konrad&, Daigle&, Daniel & Dear & Frottier, 2007,114 ). Identifying key risk factors and proper assessment of high-risk offenders will contribute to the “Understanding [of] the process by which certain prisoners, under certain circumstances, contemplate, plan, and decide to end their lives [which] is critical to suicide prevention” (Bonner, 2006, 250). Improving prison conditions along with “increasing the provision and participation of inmates in rehabilitation, education, and work skills training programs” (Heuy & Mculty, 2005, 508) will aid the United States toward decreasing prison suicide rates and bettering the health of inmates.
Summarization of Article
A qualitative study was conducted throughout six state prison facilities in Oregon with the purpose “to study dynamic variables by examining the experiences of 24 inmates who attempted suicide in prison” (Suto & Arnaut, 2010, 1). By focusing on these “dynamic variables”, this study differentiates from “existing research on prison suicides [which] has been criticized for
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