Preventing Suicide in Prisons, Part II: International Comparisons of Suicide Prevention Services in Correctional Facilities

This study of the Task Force on Suicide in Prisons uncovered many differences between countries in suicide prevention activities in prisons. Mental health professionals remain central in all such activities with inmate peer support & correctional officers also playing critical roles. There is great variation in the involvement of outside community workers. These differences could be explained by the availability of resources, the structure of the correctional & community services but mainly by the different paradigms about suicide prevention. (20 refs.)