NCJ Number
59805
Date Published
1978
Length
15 pages
Annotation
JAILS ARE BREEDING PLACES FOR FEELINGS OF DEPRESSION AND ISOLATION WHICH MAY LEAD TO SUICIDE. JAILERS SHOULD RECOGNIZE THAT MEMBERS OF CERTAIN ETHNIC GROUPS AND DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSERS ARE AT ESPECIALLY HIGH RISK.
Abstract
JAILS ARE OFTEN UNDERSTAFFED AND OVERCROWDED, WHICH INCREASES THE SENSE OF DEPERSONALIZATION THAT ACCOMPANIES INCARCERATION. ALTHOUGH PERSONS BEING PUNISHED FOR MISDEMEANORS HAVE FEELINGS OF ISOLATION, THE PROBLEM IS MOST ACUTE AMONG PRETRIAL DETAINEES. THE UNDETERMINED PERIOD OF INCARCERATION COMBINED WITH UNDETERMINED TRIAL OUTCOME LEAD TO A STATE OF CONTINUAL STRESS. THIS STRESS IS INTENSIFIED FOR PERSONS WITH HISTORIES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISLOCATIONS OR ALCOHOL OR DRUG ABUSE. CERTAIN ETHNIC GROUPS ARE ALSO MORE VULNERABLE. LATIN AMERICANS, WHO HAVE STRONG FAMILY CULTURES, ARE OVERREPRESENTED AMONG JAIL SUICIDES AS ARE NATIVE AMERICANS. NATIVE AMERICANS BELONG TO A STRONG FOLK CULTURE WHICH SHARES EMOTIONS WITH SIGNIFICANT OTHERS. WHEN THEY MUST BEAR A STRONG SENSE OF SHAME IN ISOLATION THEY OFTEN SUCCUMB TO DEPRESSION. BLACKS, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAVE LOWER SUICIDE RATES; GHETTO LIFE SEEMS TO PREPARE THEM FOR JAIL STRESSES. THE REASONS WHY PEOPLE COMMIT SUICIDE ARE NOT WELL-KNOWN BUT PSYCHOLOGISTS AND PSYCHIATRISTS HAVE IDENTIFIED CHARACTERISTICS LINKED WITH SUICIDE. JAIL OFFICIALS SHOULD BE TRAINED TO RECOGNIZE THESE CHARACTERISTICS AND TO COPE WITH SUICIDE THREATS. THE JAILER WHO IGNORES SUCH CRIES FOR HELP MAY CONTRIBUTE TO THE ONSET OF AN EMOTIONAL CRISIS. SUICIDE PREVENTION IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE JAILER'S JOB. THE ARTICLE CONTAIN NOTES AND REFERENCES.