A study was conducted evaluating all suicides that occurred in Austrian prisons between 1975-1997 (n=220). In addition to examining the number of male versus female suicides, methods were studied as well as suicide risk in different custodial circumstances. Suicide rates of distinguishable, important subgroups of prisoners were calculated. The suicide rate for prisoners on remand was 236.0/100,000 & for offenders classified as mentally ill, it was 205.4/100,000, about 8 times higher than the suicide rate in Austria’s general population. The authors recommend psychologists or psychiatrists concentrate on suicide prevention among high-risk offenders after screening the newly admitted offenders for their propensity to suicide. (37 refs.)