NCJ Number
139264
Journal
Forum on Corrections Research Volume: 4 Issue: 3 Dated: September 1992 Pages: 20-22
Date Published
September 1992
Length
3 pages
Annotation
The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is facing the dilemma of how to evaluate its inmate suicide prevention programs. This article maintains that the CSC must face its responsibilities while accepting obvious limitations in preventing suicide among a population with a high incidence of risk factors.
Abstract
While the CSC's primary objective is to lower the suicide rate among inmates, success in achieving this objective must involve systemic measures that include specific suicide prevention programs, environmental modification, changes in the clientele, and available health programs. The success of suicide prevention programs could be measured in terms of the rate of use and the rate of client satisfaction with the services offered. This quality-of-service assessment could be performed from either a technical or clinical perspective. While a technical evaluation would be determined by the achievement of structural objectives or the performance of certain tasks, a clinical evaluation would focus on the intervention process rather than its effects.