Warning Signs that an Inmate is at Risk for Suicide Continued

Even if an inmate is intoxicated, any statements that give warning about potential suicide should be taken seriously. Steps to protect that person from himself or herself should be taken.

Statistics show that a significant percentage of people who commit suicide are clinically depressed. Compared to the general population, individuals who suffer from clinical depression are eight times more likely to die from suicide. Other types of psychosis are also red flags. Any inmate who claims to hear voices, suffers from hallucinations, or talks to himself or herself should be considered at risk for suicide. If an inmate stops taking his or her anti-depression or anti-psychotic medication, he or she should be recognized as being at risk for doing themselves harm.

Suicide is oftentimes a reaction to being incarcerated. A significant number of custodial suicides occur within the first 24 hours of incarceration. Many of the inmates who kill themselves had been under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Sadly, young adults are at an elevated risk for suicide when they are arrested for nonviolent offenses, such as drug-related charges. They attempt or succeed at suicide out of embarrassment over their situation, or they are afraid of the reactions of friends and family members.

To learn more, see Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, and Part 13 of this series.

This website seeks to help Texas inmates in municipal and county jails by providing resources that could be of benefit. Making insinuations that institutions or persons have been involved in misdeeds is not intended.

–Guest Contributor