NCJ Number
139263
Journal
Forum on Corrections Research Volume: 4 Issue: 3 Dated: September 1992 Pages: 17-19
Date Published
September 1992
Length
3 pages
Annotation
A sample of 133 suicides committed by inmates of Canadian Federal penitentiaries between 1977 and 1988 was studied to compare the results with previous research and to formulate a well-developed, long-term suicide prevention strategy.
Abstract
The findings showed that the vast majority of suicides were Caucasian males. The most frequent method of suicide was hanging; the suicides were often committed shortly after sentencing. Inmate suicide was associated with single marital status, earlier suicide attempts, drug or alcohol abuse, and a history of psychiatric illness. There were no significant relationships between suicide and other factors including age, offense, type, previous convictions, or length of sentence. The findings highlighted measures that facilities could take to prevent inmate suicide. Remedies aimed at individual inmates thought to be at risk included limiting the opportunities with respect to method and avoiding single cells for those prisoners. At the institutional level, attention would be paid to inmates placed in punitive isolation or protective segregation and inmates who displayed several identified risk factors.