Detainee in Liberty County Texas Dies After Suicide Attempt-Pt.8
Suicide Risk Assessment Continued
Every detainee booked into a Texas jail should be the subject of a suicide risk assessment. Different tools are available to assist with this essential component of incarceration. In-depth research was conducted and was used to create an assessment tool for identifying the suicide risk categories of detainees. This risk assessment tool identifies 24 categories that, together, presumably provide essential information upon which to make an informed clinical decision about a detainee’s suicide risk level.
Each category has cue words that prompt clinicians conducting the interview. Professionals use their judgment to rate each category with one of the following. The detainee gave: (1) a positive indication of stability; (2) a neutral finding; or (3) a negative sign in the direction of a potential suicide risk.
- “Important relationships” is a category and detainees answer questions about who their last contact was, who is their support, well-being concerns, and unresolved loss.
- In the category of “social status,” questions are asked about sudden change, culture shock, gang issues, and any predator-to-victim issues.
- Under the “legal status” category, detainees are asked about pre-trial status, whether recently sentenced to 20+ years, new charges, and if they are in a high-risk group.
Learn more in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, and Part 7 of this continuing series.
Providing helpful resources to detainees in Texas jails is one of the purposes of this website. Accusing persons or institutions of wrongdoing it never intended on this site.
–Guest Contributor
smchugh
smchugh