Year: 2002 Source: The Prison Journal, v.82, no.4, (December 2002), p.459-477 SIEC No: 20040345

The author argues that U.S. case law pertaining to prison suicide liability in Section 1983 civil lawsuits shows several trends in future liability considerations. Past Supreme Court decisions regarding deliberate indifference standards are compared with present deliberate indifference standards, arguing that recent decisions do not constitute a benefit to plaintiffs in prison suicide cases, but rather have created difficulties in proving suicide liability as a violation of constitutionally established civil rights. (46 refs)