NCJ Number
64499
Date Published
1978
Length
42 pages
Annotation
OBSERVATIONS ON THE NATURE AND FREQUENCY OF SELF-MUTILATION INCIDENTS OCCURRING BETWEEN JULY 1, 1977, AND JUNE 30, 1978, AT TWO VIRGINIA CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
THE TWO CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES STUDIED WERE THE VIRGINIA PENITENTIARY AND POWHATAN CORRECTIONAL CENTER. DATA REVEALED THAT A RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS ACCOUNT FOR THE MAJORITY OF SELF-MUTILATION INCIDENTS. THE 105 INCIDENTS WHICH OCCURRED AT THE 2 FACILITIES DURING FISCAL YEAR 1978 INVOLVED ONLY 47 INMATES, OR ROUGHLY 3 PERCENT OF THE COMBINED POPULATION AT THESE 2 INSTITUTIONS. DUE TO MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF SELF-MUTILATION, 72 PERCENT OF THE 105 INCIDENTS ARE ACCOUNTED FOR BY ONLY 18 INMATES. THE SAME INDIVIDUAL WILL OFTEN INFLICT SELF-INJURY MORE THAN ONCE ON THE SAME OR CONSECUTIVE DAYS. CUTTING INJURIES, INFLICTED TO THE ARMS, HANDS, AND WRISTS WITH RAZORS, ARE THE MOST PREVALENT. MOST OF THE INJURIES INFLICTED ARE MINOR AND OCCUR WHILE THE INMATE IS ALONE BETWEEN 4:00 P.M. AND MIDNIGHT. THE TYPICAL SELF-MUTILATOR IS WHITE; CONFINED FOR ROBBERY, BURGLARY, OR RAPE; SERVING AN AVERAGE SENTENCE OF 22 YEARS; AND IS ABOUT 30-YEARS OLD. THE SELF-MUTILATORS ARE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY YOUNGER THAN THE GENERAL FELON POPULATION, NOR ARE THEY YOUNGER WHEN COMMITTED. THESE REPORT FINDINGS ARE TYPICAL OF THOSE FOR OTHER STATES. TABLES AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED; THE APPENDIX PROVIDES THE RESPONSES TO REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION AND DISCUSSES SOME OF THE PROCEDURES REPORTED BY OTHER STATES TO HANDLE SELF-MUTILATORS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--PRG)