Suicide Prevention Through Repeated Tragedy: one Jail System and the Lessons That Were Learned

This article illustrates one jail system’s struggle with suicide prevention. The last suicide in the Hunter County Jail system occurred in 1993; prior to this there had been 4 other suicides in a 24-month period. In 1992, a consultant issued a report of findings & recommendations regarding 4 of these suicides, seven of these are summarized in this article. County officials subsequently settled a pending federal lawsuit against the jail & also settled lawsuits filed by the victims families.