Youth in Crisis: Dimensions of Self-Destructive Conduct Among Adolescent Prisoners

Self-mutilation & attempted suicide among adolescent prisoners are explored in relation to concrete coping tests posed in prison & to self-esteem problems posed by failure of external & internal support systems. Crisis sequences are traced using verbatim excerpts from interviews with self-destructive prisoners & conceptualized in terms of enduring adolescent needs & concerns. General observations regarding strategies of intervention with crisis-prone prisoners are included. (10 refs.) (RM)