NCJ Number
187034
Journal
Corrections Technology and Management Volume: 5 Issue: 1 Dated: January/February 2001 Pages: 52-54
Date Published
2001
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This first part of a series of articles on inmate suicide prevention focuses on corrections officer training and intake screening of inmates by medical and mental health personnel.
Abstract
Training corrections officers to spot an inmate's suicidal behavior is a key component to any new policy. It is important to have such training not only in the academy, but also in the facility each year. It is essential that corrections administrators emphasize the following aspects of suicide prevention: intensive screening of inmates during the booking process; better communication between law enforcement and corrections officers; and intensive supervision of potentially suicidal inmates. The prevention of jail suicide should begin in the intake area. Twenty-nine percent of all jail suicides occur during the first 3 hours of incarceration, and 59 percent of all jail suicides occur during the first 24 hours of incarceration. In the intake area, a careful screening by medical and mental health personnel should occur to assess suicide risk and the inmate's mental health status. Individuals who exhibit mental illness or suicide potential should be housed in a close and documented observation location. Since many offenders are substance abusers, it is important for jail staff to observe behavior of detoxification in addition to abnormal behavior. Some of the warning signs of suicide and self-destruction by inmates include depression, hostile behavior, abrupt changes in personality, giving away possessions, and the inability or unwillingness to communicate. The next installment of this series will focus on how to read the signs of a suicide before it occurs.