Why are Suicide Rates Higher in County and Municipal Jails?

Several factors have been identified as contributors to the fact that suicide rates are higher in local jails, especially jails with 100 or fewer beds. Jails are a gateway into the justice system for most inmates. It is the setting in which they initially confront the gravity of their situation. The following are more of the reasons suicides, which are considered preventable deaths in most cases, are most prevalent in city and county jails:

• Many are still under the effects of alcohol or drugs at the time of booking, and others may be in withdrawal from the effects of drugs or alcohol.
• Inmates may not have access to the medications they take.
• Many detainees in local jails experience a huge weight of guilt about their crime, and they are afraid of facing possible public and familial humiliation that may be ahead.
• Access to mental health professionals is often lacking.
• Cells are not sufficiently suicide resistant.
• The level of staffing required to consistently observe prisoners according to minimum jail standards is insufficient.

Other matters create a heightened risk of suicide in local jails. Learn more in the next installment of this series. Also see previous posts in this series in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, and Part 14.     

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