Preventing Prison Suicides

In every forensic treatment setting, the forensic psychology professional must be aware of the role that suicide prevention plays in the larger system inside and outside forensic institutions. Both incarcerated offenders and individuals awaiting sentencing pose potential suicide risks. In addition, offenders on probation or parole may exhibit an increased risk of self-harm. Often, suicide risk is increased in the forensic setting because of factors ranging from shame and guilt to mental illness or fear. Suicide prevention is one of the most critical functions that a forensic psychology professional has in any forensic treatment setting.

Even though staff members in jails and prison work hard at reducing suicides, people still choose to end their lives when they are in forensic treatment settings. Although some of these individuals suffer from pre-existing mental health conditions, many do not. Forensic psychology professionals should be leaders and advocates for suicide prevention efforts in their forensic settings. In addition to basic policy knowledge, the savvy forensic psychology professional needs to be aware of local, state, and national efforts to reduce the instances of attempted and completed suicides in forensic treatment settings.

A description of two components of suicide prevention and intervention approaches and programs that you think are important in forensic treatment settings, and explain why you think they are important.
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Solution Preview

In this particular task you are asking for help in discussing suicide prevention in prison.
I suggest using this simple outline:

1. On Suicide in prisons – 100 words
2. Prevention strategy – 100 words
3. Intervention strategy – 100 words
4. Choice – 100 words

This outline should yield 400 words which should cover what you need. You can use the listed resources to further explore the topic. Just let me know via the feedback section if you need further clarification. All the best with your studies.

Prison Suicides:

When people feel desperate or despondent, and when the setting contributes to these feelings, their mental state can seek them to end their lives, seeing no way out of their misery other than ending their lives. According to the World Health Organization (2007), “Suicide is often the single most common cause of death in correctional settings. Jails, prisons and penitentiaries are responsible for protecting the health and safety of their inmate populations, and the failure to do so, can be open to legal challenge. Further fuelled by media interest, a suicide in correctional facility can easily escalate into a political scandal. …