NCJ Number
175403
Date Published
1997
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Interviews were conducted with female inmates identified by prison records as at risk of suicide and/or self-injury, as well as with corrections staff, so as to determine respondents' perspectives regarding inmate self-injury.
Abstract
According to prison records, 11 women inmates were being monitored as at high risk for suicide and/or self-injury. Of these, seven agreed to an interview about their self-injurious behavior. An additional four women identified by staff as "known" self-injurers were interviewed about their previous and current self-injuring behavior. Interviews were also conducted with two male and five female staff members. All but one were discipline staff; the other was a member of the health care staff. Two were members of the suicide awareness team. A theme that emerged from the inmate interviews was the link between childhood abuse (emotional, sexual, or physical) and self-injury. Although none of the women interviewed explicitly cited childhood abuse as a reason for their self-injurious behavior, three women believed they would benefit from sexual abuse therapy. Perhaps the most important observation of this study is the opinion of five of the seven staff that women who injure themselves are not more at risk for suicide than those who do not. Such a distinction conflicts with the current Prison Service strategy, which cites self-injury as one of the most important risk factors for future suicide, especially if the behavior is repetitious. Further, staff generally perceived that inmates who administered less severe injuries to themselves were engaging in attention-seeking and manipulative behavior so as to get a certain response from staff. A danger of distinguishing between the motives of self-injurers based on the severity of injury is that an inmate may accidentally injure herself more severely than usual, or may become suicidal. All inmates who engage in any type of self- injury require assistance in helping them deal more effectively with the underlying problems that may have led to their behavior. 4 tables and 10 references