Recommended Risk Assessment Interview Continued

The following are more questions recommended during the clinical risk assessment of suicidal inmates:

• Is the inmate crying or showing any other signs of depression such as a depressed mood, emotional hyperactivity, flatness in the emotions, or social withdrawal?
• Does the inmate behave in an overly angry, anxious, or frightened manner?
• Does the inmate express feelings of being unusually ashamed or embarrassed about their situation?
• Is the prisoner behaving in a strange manner?
• Does it appear that the inmate is under the influence of alcohol or drugs?
• Are there any signs of withdrawal from drugs that the inmate is exhibiting?
• Does the prisoner suffer from a psychotic disorder, anxiety disorder, or depressive disorder?
• Does the inmate show signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?
• Does the prisoner have sufficient cognitive and coping resources?
• Is the support system that the inmate has adequate?

Analysis of Suicide Risk Assessments

The third and final step in the process of assessing inmates’ suicide risk is analysis. Risk factors should be evaluated in the context of protective factors. The consistency of the information should be evaluated across the process of gathering data. If there are inconsistencies between the behavior and denial patterns of an inmate, it may call the veracity of suicidal behaviors and ideations into question.

See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5 of this series.

Suggesting that any individual or institution has engaged in wrongdoing of any kind is never intended within this website and its pages. The purpose of posts is to help prisoners now or previously incarcerated in a county jail in Texas.

–Guest Contributor