About the Risk Factors for Suicide of Convicts and the Possibilities for Preventive Practice
Keywords:
prison, convicts, suicide, risk factors, suicide preventionAbstract
The causes of suicide are complex. Some individuals are particularly susceptible to suicide when they find themselves in difficult situations, when operating under multiple stressors. The researchers identified a number of factors that interact to increase the risk of suicide. They include factors on the personal-individual level, factors of institutional character and clinical factors. The way in which these factors interact and act can lead to suicide is complex and not sufficiently tested. The results of a number of foreign studies indicate that the rate of suicides among the prison population is higher than the suicide rate of the general, non-custodial population l. Inmates who are at higher risk share many characteristics with the general population (mental disorders, history of suicidal behaviour, etc.). A very small number of studies have identified specific characteristics and factors that differ from the general inmate population. In this paper, the authors direct attention to displaying key risk factors for suicide in the prison population, with special emphasis on prevention possibilities.
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