Category: County Jails|Custodial Death|Medical Care|Mental Health Issues|Suicide

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

The proposed questionnaire for screening inmates touched upon in the previous segment of this series is part of a multi-dimensional program of suicide prevention. The screening that occurs at the time of booking should be followed up with a risk assessment interview. This should be conducted by a qualified professional in mental health such as a psychologist, a licensed professional counselor, a social worker, or a psychiatrist. 

Recommended Risk Assessment Interview

The clinical interview should be preceded by a gathering of information, such as the person or persons who placed the inmate on suicide watch and any jail staff member with pertinent knowledge. Although mental health professionals rarely contact family members, any information from the family that the jailers received should be shared with the mental health professional conducting the risk assessment clinical interview.

The interview should include questions asked of the inmate regarding suicidal thoughts, intents, and plans. The following are among the recommended questions that the clinical professional should use as a guide during this interview with the inmate, to be continued in the next part of this series:

• Has the inmate entertained the thought of committing suicide?
• Does the inmate plan and have an intention of self-harm?
• Does the inmate’s history include a past suicide attempt, and what was the nature of the event?
• Is the inmate feeling apprehensive about struggles outside their current situation? 

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

There is no intention on this website of making an inference of wrongdoing having occurred on the part of persons or entities. Providing helpful resources for prisoners in Texas county jails is the aim of these posts.

–Guest Contributor