How Can Jails Prevent Inmate Suicides?

In city and county jails in the U.S., suicide is the leading cause of death. When correctional officers have a good understanding of suicidal behavior and mental impairments, many suicides can be prevented. In Texas, the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) requires every jail to implement an approved suicide prevention program.

The Institute for Law Enforcement and Protective Services Excellence offers a Texas course on suicide detection and prevention in jails. The suggested audience is city and county Texas jail staff members who are responsible for the oversight and control of inmates within a jail facility. Topics discussed in the course include the following:

• Admission/booking of inmates
• Factors that influence suicidal behavior
• How to handle a suicide/attempted suicide
• Interacting with suicidal inmates
• Interviewing inmates
• Assessing inmates
• Mental illness
• An overview of jail suicides
• Suicide prevention strategies

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center provides intricate details about jail suicides as part of an initiative to equip corrections professionals to help prevent suicides. Statistics that provide helpful insights are also included. For instance, it’s important for the jailers in local facilities to understand that the inmates as a whole are at extremely high risk. In county and municipal jails, the suicide rate is approximately four times higher than that of the nation’s general population.

To learn more, see Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, and Part 9 of this series.    

This website purposes to provide helpful resources to Texas prisoners housed in municipal or county jails. Accusing persons or entities of involvement in wrongdoing is never intended.

–Guest Contributor