Discusses the findings of Toch & Johnson that black prisoners are less likely & white & Hispanic prisoners more likely to hurt or kill themselves. Overrepresentation of whites & Hispanics & underrepresentation of blacks does not warrant the authors conclusions. Interpretation that black free-world life prepares blacks better for prison, whereas white & Hispanics experiences render them more crisis-prone, ignores institutional & interpersonal factors that may affect inmate behaviour. (32 ref)