Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T06:16:59.207Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Suicide in Scottish Prisons

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

S. A. Backett
S. A. Backett*
Affiliation:
MRC Unit for Epidemiological Studies in Psychiatry, University Department of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, Edinburgh EH 10 5HF
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

A consecutive series of prison suicides in Scotland between 1970 and 1982 was examined. The initial phase of imprisonment was found to be the most vulnerable stage of confinement, with almost two-thirds of the deaths having taken place within the first month. A disproportionately high number were found to be on remand. A history of some form of psychiatric involvement was common, and a third of the group had received previous psychiatric inpatient treatment. In contrast to results from general population studies, there was little evidence to link suicide with a history of depressive illness. A record of problems with either alcohol or drug dependence was found in almost half the cases. The importance of general measures designed to reduce stress and promote coping mechanisms is emphasised.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 151 , Issue 2 , August 1987 , pp. 218 - 221
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1987 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barraclough, B., Bunch, J., Nelson, B. & Sainsbury, P. (1974) A hundred cases of suicide: clinical aspects. British Journal of Psychiatry, 125, 355–373.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Burtch, B. E. & Ericson, R. V. (1979) The Silent System: An Enquiry into Prisoners who Suicide. Toronto: Centre of Criminology, University of Toronto.Google Scholar
Coid, J. (1984) How many psychiatric patients in prison? British Journal of Psychiatry, 145, 78–84.Google Scholar
Copas, J. B. & Robin, A. (1982) Suicide in psychiatric in-patients. British Journal of Psychiatry, 141, 503–511.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Danto, B. L. (1973) Suicide at the Wayne County Jail: 1962–70. In Jail House Blues (ed. Danto, B.). Michigan: Epic Publications.Google Scholar
Esparza, R. (1973) Attempted and committed suicide in County Jails. In Jail House Blues (ed. Danto, B.). Michigan: Epic Publications.Google Scholar
Fawcett, J. & Marrs, B. (1973) Suicide at the County Jail. In Jail House Blues (ed. Danto, B.). Michigan: Epic Publications.Google Scholar
Gunn, J., Robertson, G., Dell, S. & Way, C. (1978) Psychiatric Aspects of Imprisonment. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Helig, S. (1973) Suicide in jails: a preliminary study in Los Angeles County. In Jail House Blues (ed. Danto, B.). Michigan: Epic Publications.Google Scholar
Home Office (1984) Suicides in Prison: Report by H. M. Chief Inspector of Prisons. London: Home Office.Google Scholar
Robins, L., Murphy, G. E., Wilkinson, R., Gaumet, S. & Keyes, J. (1959) Some clinical considerations in the prevention of suicide based on a study of 134 successful suicides. American Journal of Public Health, 49, 888–898.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Scottish Home And Health Department (1985) Report of the Review of Suicide Precautions at H. M. Detention Centre and H. M. Young Offenders Institution, Glenochil. Edinburgh: HMSO.Google Scholar
Smialek, J. E. & Spitz, W. U. (1978) Death behind bars. Journal of the American Medical Association, 240, 2563–2564.Google Scholar
Topp, D. O. (1979) Suicide in prison. British Journal of Psychiatry, 134, 24–27.Google Scholar
Tuskan, J. J. & Thase, M. E. (1983) Suicides in jails and prisons. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 21, 29–33.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
World Health Organization (1978) Mental Disorders: Glossary and Guide to their Classification in Accordance with the Ninth Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9). Geneva: WHO.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.