Prison Suicide- Politics and Prevention: A View from Ireland

The pattern of suicide in Ireland broadly matches that in various neighbouring countries, with the prevalence among males being significantly greater than among women. Over recent years there has been a significant increase in suicide among young men. Similarly, prison suicide patterns mirror those in neighbouring jurisdictions, with a marked increase in prison suicides occurring over the last 10 years. Media interest in prison suicide is grossly disproportionate to its frequency. Existing prevention policies based on the identification of individuals at risk would appear to have failed, and it is argued that it would be more productive-albeit with significant difficulty-to re-orient prevention strategies towards identifying and remedying risk factors in the overall prison environment as opposed to identifying particular individuals.