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Jail Suicide Summary

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This article, National Study of Jail Suicide: 20 Years Later was written in order to help understand the changes that have taken place and the efforts that have been made over the last two decades on suicide and suicide tendencies with the jail population. The author, Lindsay M. Hayes, proves that over the past 20 years (1985-2006) there have been significant changes made within the jail system and suicide prevention of this special population. Some suicidal traits or indicators have been reduced, while many others have just changed or even increased the risk to suicide, within our jail systems, throughout the country. The table provided within the attached article, (page 243) shows how different the specific traits within the study compare …show more content…

However, as this study clearly indicates the risk assessment must continue beyond the entry point. These inmates should be screened for signs of “stress or duress” and possible “suicidal triggers” such as “depression, previous attempts or severity of charges,” which could lead someone to suicide thinking. These assessment need to be done on a regular basis and throughout their jail stay. It is also clear that more trained counselors, clergy and/or health care visits should include further assessment for suicidal risk. I think this information is important because while many people see inmates simply as the lowest level of society, these people are still human beings, and have families and loved ones. Many of these young men, who are brought in do not deserve a death sentence. In jail, one is usually being detained prior to sentencing and they typically have not been found “guilty” yet. Don’t we all have the right to be innocent until proven guilty? Should we all be safe, even from …show more content…

With this study, I think it should have been easy to identify the most at risk states or even regions, which could help those of us in suicide prevention, the sheriffs and or lawmakers want to work toward improving suicide prevention policies, guidelines, training, and assessment tools within the most impacted jail systems. It would have been a plus to the readers to identify if these problems exist nationwide, or if they are more prevalent in specific areas. This would also identify if there are better systems that could be mimicked, so those policies and prevention methods could be implemented in the jail systems that seem to have a bigger suicide rate of their

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