Key Assignment DraftSuicide is recognized as a critical problem within the jail environment for inmates faced with the issue of initial incarceration, but the issue of prison suicide has not received comparable attention. Although the rate of suicide in prisons is lower than in jails, it remains disproportionately high.Your job is to conduct research on prison suicide and develop a policy to be implemented at your respective prison.Assignment GuidelinesAddress the following in 5–7 pages: Use the attached outline and expand upon itPart 1: The first section of your paper will be based on research.How prevalent is the incidence of prisoner suicide? Explain in detail.What factors seem to contribute the most to prisoner suicide? Explain in detail, and use scholarly and academic resources to fully support your arguments.What are the characteristics and histories of victims of prisoner suicide? Explain.Where and under what circumstances is prisoner suicide likely to occur? Be detailed in your response, and provide examples to support your arguments.Why are prison officials obligated to address the problem of prisoner suicide? You must research and identify studies of both state and federal inmates. Part 2: Develop a policy/program aimed at prevention of inmate suicide in your prison.Identify and describe key correctional departments and others, such as line staff, who should be involved in implementation of the policy and the role they should play.Be specific and detailed in your response when explaining the importance of line staff.The policy should address major components such as:TrainingIdentificationReferralAssessmentInterventionIn your policy, identify the types of records that are to be maintained.The policy should reference state and national standards.The policy should also reflect staff and budget considerations.You should research standards set by the American Correctional Association, American Medical Association, and American Public Health Association, National Commission on Correctional Health Care Standards.Be sure to reference all sources using APA style.
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Introduction
Over the years, the rate of suicide in prisons across the globe has been considerably high. Research proved
that female inmates engage in prison suicides more as compared to their male counterparts. It has also shown
that most of the persons that kill themselves are those serving short sentences and were convicted for nonviolent offenses. Reasons such as chronic physical ailments, poor mental health, and experience of childhood
abuse as well as family disintegrations have all been named as the major contributors to these incidents
(Fazel, & Marzano, 2017). Poor mental health seems to affect the prisoners in that they end up engaging in
activities that lead to death unknowingly. The feeling of being unwanted by their family members results to
loneliness, and in the long run, the inmate may decide to commit suicide.
Characteristics of Suicide Victims
Inmates that have succeeded in committing suicide in prisons seem to display common features. To begin
with, a person contemplating to kill himself severally communicates about this intention to those that are
close to him (Gardner, et.al 2016). Additionally, the individual shows emotions that show helplessness as well
that hopelessness in what they do. Most also undergo frustrated psychological needs and pain and end up
choosing suicide as a solution.
Circumstances Surrounding Prisoner Suicide
For instance, persons suffering from chronic health conditions undergo great depression and eventually
engage in suicide. Mental illness also leads to conditions such as eating disorders, anxiety, and stress where
all are likely causes of prison suicide. In the event a prisoner is jailed together with persons that are not his
age, he is likely to feel lonely and prefers killing himself.
The Obligation of Prison Officials
These officials include the prison administration, prison waders as well as the clinical staff in prison. To
minimize suicide incidents in prisons, it is important that the prison officials both in the state and federal
prisons actively play their role in ensuring inmates do not harm themselves. To remedy these cases, the
prison administration should increase its staff to provide thorough supervision of the inmates (Fazel, &
Marzano, 2017). Additionally, the clinical staff should be quick to identify inmates with mental illnesses and
recommend them for special surveillance.
Policy to Prevent Inmate Suicides
The state and federal governments should be keen on handling pre-trial inmates. These individuals should
undergo counseling that will see to it that they can cope with sudden isolation. The first night procedure for
these inmates should also be in such a way that they meet the levels of care for prisoners (Gauthier, et.al
2015). The period in which prisoners are locked in their sells should also be reduced as this will help reduce
loneliness that catalyzes suicidal thoughts. To properly implement this policy, the prison staff should be taken
through extensive training to equip them with the necessary knowledge on how to deal with the prisoners.
Additionally, identification of inmates that have shown signs of killing themselves should be hastily made and
the persons accorded the necessary supervision. In the event the prison staff is unable to handle the affected
inmate, a referral to an equipped prison facility is recommended. The state should also carry out a frequent
assessment to the prison facilities especially the cells to ascertain that all is in order and that nothing likely to
aid in committing suicide has been done (Cliquennois, & Herzog 2018). Upon admission to prison, all
prisoners should be required to submit details such as their health conditions and those of their family
members about mental illnesses. All these records should be maintained appropriately as they would be
referenced in the event one is suspected of contemplating suicide. Lastly, it is crucial that the state and the
federal governments fund the prison departments fully to enable them to engage the needed number of staff
members to implement this policy effectively.
References
Cliquennois, G., & Herzog-Evans, M. (2018). European monitoring of Belgian and French penal and prison
policies. Crime, Law and Social Change, 70(1), 113-134.
Fazel, S., & Marzano, L. (2017). Suicides in prison.
Gardner, K. J., Dodsworth, J., & Klonsky, E. D. (2016). Reasons for non-suicidal self-harm in adult male
offenders with and without borderline personality traits. Archives of Suicide Research, 20(4), 614-634.
Gauthier, S., Reisch, T., & Bartsch, C. (2015). Swiss prison suicides between 2000 and 2010. Crisis.
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