The Immediate and Enduring Effects of the Inquest on Relatives of Suicides

Reports a survey of relatives’ experience of coroners’ inquests on suicides. The survey was conducted shortly after the inquest & gave results similar to those of a survey which took place some years after the relevant inquests. Both surveys showed that the inquest aggravated the distress resulting from bereavement by suicide. Preventing the publication of inquest reports in the press would relieve some of this additional distress.