This article examines a consecutive series of prison suicides in Scotland between 1970 & 1982. The initial phase of imprisonment was found to be the most vulnerable stage of confinement, with almost two-thirds of the deaths having taken place within the first month. The article reports that there was little evidence to link suicide with a history of depressive illness. It also reports a problem with either drug or alcohol dependence in almost half of the suicide cases. The article concludes with the need for general measures that reduce stress in prisons. (AK)