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Suicide in Prisons (UK)
George Stewart
In 1997 there were 70 suicides in prisons in England and Wales, 67 men and 3 women. This is a 40 per cent increase since 1990 and a 159 per cent increase since 1983.
This rate translates as being over six times the total male suicide rate. 39 per cent of those who committed suicide were on remand.
Liebling and Krarup conducted the most comprehensive study ever into suicide and self harm in prison between 1990 and 1992. Their research report, published in 1993, identified a range of characteristics and background factors associated with prisoners at risk of suicide and self harm [43].
They found that many prisoners had experienced multiple deprivations prior to their imprisonment, and to this was added the stresses resulting from custody and a range of situational problems.
Although all prisoners may be vulnerable at certain times, they found that there were three particularly vulnerable groups: younger "poor copers", those with mental health problems and adult male serious offenders.
Within the prison population as a whole, young prisoners are the individuals most at risk, particularly those under 21 who make up a third of the remand population. In 1995, 20 per cent of prison suicides were by people under 21, the majority being young males. [44]
Liebling and Krarup found that mental health problems were present in approximately one third of prison suicides, however, their research suggests that coping problems and situational factors are more significant than psychiatric explanations.
Judge Tumin, then Chief Inspector of Prisons, was commissioned by the Home Secretary to carry out a review of the Prison Service's policy on suicide and self harm.
This report was published in 1990, and in it Judge Tumin stated:
"Current Prison Service policy fails to communicate the social dimension to self-harm and self-inflicted death. It does not stress sufficiently the significance of the environment in which prisoners and staff are expected to live and work, or the importance of constructive activities in helping inmates to cope with anxiety and stress. Above all, it fails to give weight to the need to sustain people during their time of custody, the importance of relationships between inmates and between staff and inmates in providing support." [45]
This research and review has led to the Prison service developing a new policy called "Caring for the Suicidal in Custody". [46]
The key elements of the policy are:
1 Primary Care - creating a safe environment and helping prisoners to cope with custody
2 Special Care - identifying and supporting prisoners in crisis and treating them with dignity
3 Aftercare - caring for the needs of those affected by suicide and self-harm
4 Community responsibility - involving the whole prison community in the awareness and care of the suicidal
http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Factsheets/Suicide/
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