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National Study of Jail Suicide: 20 Years Later Foreword

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National Study of Jail Suicide: 20 Years Later Foreword U.S. Department of Justice National Institute of Corrections U.S. Department of Justice National Institute of Corrections 320 First Street, NW Washington, DC 20534 Morris L. Thigpen Director Thomas J. Beauclair Deputy Director Virginia A. Hutchinson Chief, Jails Division Fran Zandi Program Manager National Institute of Corrections www.nicic.gov Lindsay M. Hayes, Project Director National Center on Institutions and Alternatives April 2010 NIC Accession Number 024308 This document was prepared under cooperative agreement number 06J47GJM0 from the National Institute of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view or opinions stated in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Contents Foreword .......................................................................................................... vii Acknowledgments ..............................................................................................ix Executive Summary ............................................................................................xi Chapter 1. Introduction ...................................................................................... 1 Prior Jail Suicide Research .................................................................................... 2 A Word About Suicide Victim Profiles .................................................................... 3 Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2000................................................................ 4 Chapter 2. National Study of Jail Suicides: 20 Years Later ................................... 7 Methodology: Phase 1 ......................................................................................... 7 Methodology: Phase 2 ......................................................................................... 9 Chapter 3. Demographic Findings of Jail Suicide Data ........................................ 11 Personal Characteristics of the Victims ................................................................. 11 Characteristics of the Suicides ............................................................................ 19 Characteristics of the Jail Facilities ....................................................................... 32 Chapter 4. Special Considerations ..................................................................... 43 The Changing Face of Jail Suicide ...................................................................... 43 Jail Suicide Rates .............................................................................................. 43 Chapter 5. Conclusion ...................................................................................... 47 Comprehensive Suicide-Prevention Programming ................................................... 47 Future Training Efforts ........................................................................................ 53 Data Limitations and Further Research Needed ..................................................... 54 The Continuing Challenge of Prevention ............................................................... 54 References ....................................................................................................... 55 Appendix A. National Study of Jail Suicides Survey ............................................ 59 Appendix B. National Study of Jail Suicides Questionnaire ................................. 61 Contents iii List of Tables Table 1. Sources for Identifying Inmate Suicides in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ...................8 Table 2. Total Number of Suicides Identified in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ........................ 9 Table 3. Race of Suicide Victims in U.S. Jails: 2005–06.......................................12 Table 4. Gender of Suicide Victims in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ...................................12 Table 5. Age of Suicide Victims in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ........................................13 Table 6. Marital Status of Suicide Victims in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ..........................14 Table 7. Most Serious Charge of Suicide Victims in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ................15 Table 8. Most Serious Prior Charge of Suicide Victims in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ........16 Table 9. History of Substance Abuse Among Suicide Victims in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ...............................................................................................16 Table 10. History of Medical Problems Among Suicide Victims in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ...............................................................................................17 Table 11. History of Mental Illness Among Suicide Victims in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ...........................................................................................18 Table 12. History of Psychotropic Medication Use Among Suicide Victims in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ...........................................................................18 Table 13. History of Suicidal Behavior Among Suicide Victims in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ...........................................................................................19 Table 14. Month in Which Suicide Occurred in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 .......................20 Table 15. Time of Day When Suicide Occurred in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ...................21 Table 16. Length of Confinement Prior to Suicide in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ................. 22 Table 17. Intoxication of Suicide Victims in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 .............................23 Table 18. Method of Suicide in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 .............................................24 Table 19. Instrument Used in Suicide in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ..................................24 Table 20. Anchoring Device Used in Hanging in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 .....................25 Table 21. Time Span Between Last Observation and Finding Victim in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ............................................................................26 Table 22. Administration of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) to Suicide Victims in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 .............................................................26 Table 23. Isolation or Segregation at Time of Death for Suicide Victims in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ............................................................................27 List ofContent Tabless v Table 24. Suicide Precaution Status Among Suicide Victims in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ...................................................................................28 Table 25. No-Harm Contracts Used in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ....................................29 Table 26. Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP) Assessment of Suicide Victims in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ..................................................29 Table 27. Suicide Victims’ Last Contact With a Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP) in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ..........................................30 Table 28. Suicides Occurring Close to Date of Court Hearing in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ............................................................................31 Table 29. Suicides Occurring Close to a Scheduled Court Hearing in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ............................................................................31 Table 30. Suicides Occurring Close to a Telephone Call or Visit in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ...........................................................................32 Table 31. Suicides Occurring Close to a Scheduled Telephone Call or Visit in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ............................................................................32 Table 32. Intake Screening for Suicide Risk in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 .........................33 Table 33. Verification of Suicide Risk During Prior Confinement in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ...........................................................................................34 Table 34. Arresting and/or Transporting Officer Opinion About Suicide Risk in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ...........................................................................34 Table 35. Suicide-Prevention Training in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 .................................35 Table 36. Frequency of Suicide-Prevention Training in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ..............36 Table 37. Certification in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in U.S. Jails That Sustained a Suicide: 2005–06 ......................................................36 Table 38. Suicide Watch Protocol in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ......................................37 Table 39. Authorization To Discharge Inmates From Suicide Watch in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ............................................................................38 Table 40. Safe Housing for Suicidal Inmates in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ........................39 Table 41. Mortality Review Process in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 ....................................40 Table 42. Written Suicide-Prevention Policy in U.S. Jails: 2005–06 .........................41 Table 43. Changing Face of Suicide in U.S. Jails: 1985–86 to 2005–06 ................44 vi National Study of Jail Suicide: 20 Years Later Foreword This report represents the third collaboration between the National Institute of Corrections and the National Center on Institutions and Alternatives (NCIA) regarding national studies of jail suicide. During the 1980s, two NCIA studies found high rates of suicide in county jails throughout the country. Although suicide continues to be a leading cause of death in jails, the rate of suicide continues to decrease, as demonstrated in this report, National Study of Jail
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