Suicide in Prison; The Gesture and the Risk: Some Theories and Some Misconceptions

The author examines several misconceptions of suicide in the penal setting:(1) suicide intent is never revealed prior to suicide,(2) rescued persons are always resentful of life-saving interventions,(3) the attempter is intent on dying,(4) that most suicidal gestures are simply manipulative. Stengal enjoins prison authorities to treat self-injurious acts seriously.