The Contributors of High Number of Suicide - Term Paper Example

Introduction The nature in which inmates committee suicide while in incarceration is alarming. Suicide by inmates refers to those voluntary means in which people take their own life they happen in the correctional facilities. The nature and reason that attribute to this matter will lay basis of the discussion. Various factors have been attributed to these. The paper will focus majorly on these causes and the impact of each effect. A comparison will be done on how inmate suicides have been over the years. There has been a call among stakeholders to improve on inmate’s welfare. The inmates majorly depend on the warden for their protection. The paper will look at internal forces that are contributing to these fact and those that are working to ensure the inmates are protected. Causes of suicide Wardens are reported to be the contributors of high number of suicide in correctional facilities the handling of inmate plays a role in these factors. Stroud (2012) reports on how suicide notes by those involved stated how they face assault from the prison guards. The article indicates how one inmate in Philadelphia had written to his father indicating how a prison guard had assaulted him more than once. The physical harm that these inmates face and fear of continued torture prompt these inmates in attempting suicide. In many occasions these attempts are fruitful. These sentiments are echoed by Suto (2007) who indicates how majority of inmates fear facing the wardens due to their inhumane character. The nature of punishment given to inmates by prison guards prompt many to resist the punishment in other instances they engage in the inevitable which is suicide. Mental illness has been attributed to be the other cause of inmate suicide. Many prisoners suffer in silences. Human right watch (2004) indicates how there is an alarming rate of mental cases in prisons. The lack of proper care and attention push many prisoners to commit suicide. The mental cases are caused by the traumatic nature of inmates while in solitaire. The continued exposure to traumatic events by the prison department forces inmates to seek refuge in drugs and other violent activities. The daily exposure to these events affects them psychologically, the lack of professional assistance deteriorate the situation. The prisons at the time of the research lacked the proper mechanism, to assist and provide psychological help to inmates. The lack of care attributes to the higher levels of suicide in the prisons. The other aspect is the sentencing of victims without ascertaining their state of mind. The result of being a continued effect while in incarceration. The non- protective nature of the prisons drives the victims to commit suicide. The other cause of suicides is the violent nature of the cells. The violence is attributed to gangs available in prisons. The gangs intimidate inmates and forcefully lure them to their gangs. The result of forceful engagement is oath taking. The involuntary nature of exit from the group by members is the cause of suicide. The non- protective nature of the prisons and the silent suffering of those in incarceration forces individuals to find alternative ways out of the gangs. The only way out by gang members is though death. Most are brutally murdered by the same gangs they are in. Threats force individuals to kill themselves before the gang torture and brutally murder them. The other cause is the sexual harassments inmates face while in prison. The gangs force them into sexual activities which are not accustomed to them hence they psychologically get affected. The lack of proper counseling and company while in the prisons prompts inmates to take their own life as a way of escaping the injustices inside the cells. Comparison of inmate suicides rates According to the National Institute of Corrections (2010), in 2006 there was a decrease of in number of inmates committing suicide. The figure indicated the death to be 36 deaths per 100000 prisoners which showed a decrease as compared to 1986 which recorded the highest number of deaths in prisoners in USA the figure at the time stood at 107 per 100000. The decline in number of suicide had been attributed to reforms and measures being undertaken by the prison department. The trend is likely to be on the fall once the implementation of the proposed reforms in the prisons cells (National Institute of Corrections, 2010). There is also a higher rate of suicides in males than in females. The higher rate of suicides among the male inmate population is attributed to their higher population. The rates however are high on female pretrial inmates than their male counterparts. The assumption of life in prison pushes many female inmates to commit suicide as a way of escaping future troubles associated with the cells. The juveniles account for the list number of suicide. The World Health Organization (2007), Associates suicide to psychological problems. It indicates how female inmates are mostly affected by either past traumatic stress or depression while in incarceration. The males are seen to be more tolerant and easily adapt to environmental changes. The females are seen to be less tolerant and less adaptive. The nature of tolerance prevents a person from attempting suicide while the failure to adopt drives an individual in attempting suicide. The psychological effect is as a result of both intolerant nature and the failure by individual to adapt to changes in their immediate environment. Reforms in the prison department The first reform in the prison department is the decongestion program. The measures undertaken by the prison department to decongest prisons is aimed at reducing prison gangs that attribute to the high number of inmate suicide. The other strategy by the prison department is to reduce the period per sense. The main focus will be on drug offenders, there are proposals to reduce the time drug offenders spend in solitaire. Robert (2014) indicates a proposal by the prison department to reduce the amount of time drug offenders spend in prison. A study by United Nation Office on Drugs and Crime (2014) indicates relates the number of time an individual spends in prison to a number of psychological effects that eventual contributes to inmates’ trauma. There is need to indulge with the inmates on their welfare and there should be the protection of their welfare while in prison. The failure for in which will see the trends take an upper route. The connection of prison gangs to psychological problems in the cells is the reason behind the decongestion program by the state prison department. The other aspect is the nature of handling juveniles in that they should be dealt in a different way from the adult counterparts. The other reforms dwell on the trial process in the court system. There is need to ascertain an individual state of mind before sentencing them. The process will reduce the high number of mentally ill inmates. Their state worsens while in this facilities due to the ignorance nature of the prison wards. The high number of female inmate suicide is associated to pretrial detentions. United Nation Office on Drugs and Crime report (2014) attributes reforms in pretrial detention will reduce these cases. It suggests an improved mechanism that will allow suspects access justice and their welfare be dealt with. There should be receiving aided paralegal system for those suspects that are unable to access the justice system. The improved system will reduce the rate of suicide among the female pretrial inmates. The other aspect in the reforms lies on prison management. The justice department and the prison departments have been under scrutiny with the wardens attributing to the high number of inmate suicide. The brutal nature of the officers must be looked into. United Nation Office on Drugs and Crime report (2014) indicates the need for the management to have a sense of fairness, the need for protection of human rights and fear of set laws and regulations. The brutal nature of the prison wardens is directly linked to the management. The prisoners lacked motivation while in at their work stations. The result of reduced morale in a work station is frustrations. The wardens then channel their frustrations to the inmates. The inmates feel intimidated and most end up killing themselves. The reforms in the management have seen a clear line of duty and roles per warden described. There have been reduced periods of time each warden spends while at work. The reforms have been more than the welfare of the wardens but have seen an overhaul in the general management. Reshuffles have seen many prison chiefs become more accountable in their duties. The need to employ new staff has created a new philosophy around the prison departments with the negative perspective of these prisoners changed. There have been new staffs that are concern with the prisoners’ welfare. The employment of professionals have seen post trauma victims given attention and offered professional help. This trend has been the attributing factor towards the reduced inmate suicide in USA by the year 2006 (National Institute of Corrections, 2010). The reforms are clearly taking effect as the number of suicide cases caused by prison mistreatment and neglect. There have been medical care provided to inmates by the prison authority as a way of reducing inmates being affected psychologically and reduce the mental illness cases among these prisoners. The other reforms that the prison department has undertaken is improved prison conditions. Each prisoner is entitled to equal treatment according to new reforms. They are also measure to protect the prisoners from gangs and forceful involvement in drugs and substance use. The provision of other amenities has reduced the tendency of inmates attempting suicide due to loneliness. The prisoners are given a chance to be visited by their relatives and hence reduce depression among them. There have been measures to bridge the gap between prisoners and wardens where a sensitization program to reduce the enmity between the two parties. The program is aimed at assisting the inmates when in trouble giving them an alternative rather than solving their problems rather than them indulging in substance use which later on affect their well being in prison cells (National Institute of Corrections, 2010). Recommendation Further reforms must take place to completely eradicate inmate suicide. Management reforms are important in ensuring the zero suicide goals are achieved. There need to be a government involvement in the matter in that reforms need to be implemented and those unwilling to change dealt with in accordance with the law. The wardens are the other players in these reforms hence there is need for them to be retrained on matters welfare management rather than disciplinary duties. The nature in which prisoners find themselves while in a traumatizing situation is that they tend to lack the needed guidance hence they choose the wrong path due to the failures of the system to address their concerns. The corporate word need to play a role in ensuring reforms is undertaken. They will act as watchdogs and any inhumane motive from the department will be dealt reported. The government needs to increase the budget allocated to the department as a way of ensuring the reforms are successful. Conclusion The years have seen inmate suicide reduce by half. The concern parties are aiming at ensuring the rate goes down to nearly zero. The factors that contribute to these injustices are both internal and external. Internal impacts being attributed to inmate state of mind and depression while external factors being the other inmates and the wardens. Reforms have seen the trends dwindle. The most important factor towards these reforms I the government commitment which range from finances and regulations being formulated by the legislature. The society and the corporate world need to monitor the prison conditions and report issue when unsatisfied. The other player is the prisoner himself, they need to address their concerns before taking drastic measure while depressed. The prison needs to be a place of reforming an individual rather than intimidating them Reference Human Rights Watch .(2003). Ill-Equipped: U.S. Prisons and Offenders with Mental Illness 149 n. 513. New York: Human Rights Watch. National Institute of Corrections. (2010). National study of Jail suicide: 20 years later. Pennsylvania: Us department of justice Robert, D. (2014, January 30). Justice Department looks to commute sentences for some drug offenders. The guardian Retrieved from Stroud, M. (2012, April 18). Why are prisoners committing suicide in Pennsylvania? The Nation. Retrieved from < http://www.thenation.com/article/167459/why-are-prisoners-committing-suicide-pennsylvania#> Suto, I. (2007), Inmates Who Attempted Suicide in Prison: A Qualitative Study. New York: School of Professional Psychology. United Office on Drugs and Crime .(2014). Why promote reforms. Retrieved from World Health Organization (2007). Preventing suicide in jails and prisons. Geneva: WHO Read More