Suicide risk reduction

Abstract There are many risks associated with incarceration, and a substantial one is suicide. Incarcerated persons are at higher risk for suicide than the general population. Suicide rates in jails are high but stable, and significantly lower than 30 years ago. Suicide rates in prison grew at a significant rate from 2001 to 2019. Although incarcerated persons’ deaths by suicide in jail versus prison differ in both prevalence and timing, they share many risk factors, including stress, vulnerability, histories of serious mental illness and suicidal behavior, and lack of protective factors to cope with their environment. Components of a basic suicide prevention program are well established and reflected in national standards, but these components often have the unintended consequence of deterring suicidal individuals from expressing and/or encouraging them to recant their ideation. A fundamental component of an agency’s risk reduction strategy must be the ability to identify suicide risk despite the incarcerated person’s denial of such risk. This chapter highlights why suicidal individuals might deny their suicidality and offers ways to identify and manage suicidal individuals that encourage them to express themselves freely. Other risk reduction strategies are offered.