Suicide

January 10, 2022

United States: inadequate mental health treatment

Analysis Opinion

North America Mental health Material conditions Suicide United States

Dr. Tasnova Malek works in the National Suicidal Prevention Center and as a medical reviewer for Sunshine Behavioral Health. Here she discusses the prevalence of mental illness among prisoners and highlights the inability of prison facilities to meet their needs. Read Dr. Malek’s insights. Read more

December 6, 2021

Suisse : Hans Wolff, “Avec la pandémie, le risque suicidaire a explosé en prison“

News

Coronavirus Europe Mental health Suicide Switzerland

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

November 25, 2021

Uruguay: Récord de fallecidos en las cárceles, casi 7 por mes

News

South America Suicide Violence Uruguay

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish

November 23, 2021

DRC: Lack of Access to Healthcare

Report

Africa Health Material conditions Suicide Overcrowding Congo - Kinshasa

The Congolese Prison Observatory published a report in December 2019. It reported six deaths and one suicide attempt that year within this prison.

Source — Observatoire Congolais des Prisons

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October 12, 2021

India: death rate up, jails to get ‘suicide watchers’

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Asia Suicide India

The Punjab Prisons is training a unique squad of “suicide watchers” as a study of suicides between 2017 and 2019 found that nearly 42 per cent of the victims died by suicide within a month of incarceration. Fifteen per cent could not last even 48 hours in jail.The squad comprising jail staff and se1

Source — Tribune in India

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September 10, 2021

India: rules laid down to prevent inmate suicide in jail

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Asia Mental health Suicide India

Preventive measures could have been taken to protect former prisoners who committed suicide, said a 16-point circular sent by the director general to all jail authorities on Wednesday. According to this order, all wells inside the jail should be fenced withgrated doors and locks. The jail authorit1

Source — The Times Of India

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June 24, 2021

United States: addressing the structural inequalities underlying a failing prison health system

Analysis Opinion

North America Mental health Drugs Material conditions Suicide United States

ICPR and Prison Insider asked several experts worldwide to share their insights in the framework of the project ‘Understanding and reducing the use of imprisonment in 10 countries’. Homer Venters is a physician and epidemiologist working at the intersection of incarceration, health and human rights1 Read more

June 9, 2021

France : en prison, on se suicide dans l’indifférence

News

Europe Mental health Suicide Violence France

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

May 27, 2021

España: los suicidios en las cárceles aumentan con la pandemia

News

Europe Mental health Suicide Spain

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish

May 4, 2021

Kazakhstan: two inmates in Kazakh prison swallow spoons to protest conditions

News

Asia Material conditions Suicide Violence Kazakhstan

The regional State Penitentiary Service said on April 25 that the incident had taken place four days earlier, adding that the two inmates were provided with medical assistance and their “current health state is satisfactory.” Inmates in Kazakhstan’s penitentiaries often maim themselves to protest1

Source — Radio free Europe

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February 1, 2021

Canada : bannir les courtes peines de prison pour éviter des suicides

News

North America Pre-trial detention Justice Mental health Suicide Alternatives Canada

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

February 1, 2021

Suisse : l'aide au suicide pour les prisonniers envisagée

News

Europe Access to legal rights Justice Mental health Suicide Switzerland

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

January 7, 2021

France : les suicides à la prison marseillaise des Baumettes ne sont pas une fatalité

News

Europe Justice Health Mental health Suicide Violence France

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

December 7, 2020

United States: mental health crisis in California’s lock-ups worsens with Covid-19

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Rather than improve under a class action lawsuit dating back to 1990 (now Plata v. Newsom) and seeking constitutionally acceptable mental health care for prisoners, conditions continue to slide, exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Mental health problems are especially egregious at CDCR’s Ca1

Source — Prison legal news

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November 23, 2020

España: el protocolo antisuicidios en las cárceles

News

Europe Mental health Suicide Spain

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish

September 17, 2020

France : suicides en prison

News

Europe Mental health Suicide Social ties Religion France

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

June 4, 2020

USA: solitary confinement is fueling New York's prison suicide crisis

News

North America Mental health Suicide United States

On average, someone attempts suicide in one of New York State’s prisons every other day. And 43 percent of those suicide attempts occur in the state’s notorious solitary confinement units — the Special Housing Unit, or SHUs. Solitary confinement is also linked to higher rates of death by suicide, a1

Source — Solitary Watch

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April 9, 2020

France: en 2019, ils sont morts en prison

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Coronavirus Europe Health Mental health Suicide France

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

February 27, 2020

USA: new BJS report reveals staggering number of preventable deaths in local jails

News

North America Health Suicide United States

A new Bureau of Justice Statistics report reveals that over 1,000 people died in local jails in 2016, underscoring the dangers of jail incarceration. Most troublingly, the report finds at least half of these deaths are preventable, with suicide remaining the leading cause of death.

Source — Prison Policy Initiative

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November 13, 2019

UK: security firm to monitor prisoner vulnerability at Kilmarnock Prison in bid to prevent suicide and self harm

News

Europe Mental health Suicide United Kingdom

Changes in behaviour are highlighted to prison officers – allowing them to intervene before a prisoner self-harms or attempts suicide.

Source — Daily Record

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October 13, 2019

France: face aux suicides en prison, les détenus s’entraident pour libérer la parole

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Europe Suicide France

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

September 4, 2019

France: à Fleury-Mérogis, huit détenus formés pour empêcher les suicides en prison

News

Europe Suicide France

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

September 3, 2019

UK: Big rise in assault and self-harm incidents at Highpoint Prison prompts call for the number of people in prison to be reduced

News

Suicide United Kingdom

Incidents of assault and self harm at Highpoint prison have risen in recent years, amid warnings that England and Wales’ prisons have been asked “to do too much with too little for too long”.

Source — Haverhill Echo

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August 23, 2019

USA: the U.S. isn't counting prison suicides even though the law requires it

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Suicide United States

Jeffrey Epstein’s suicide shined a light on a problem in the prison system: No one is keeping track of suicide deaths on a national basis.

Source — Vice

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