Prison Suicide: What Happens Afterwards?

✍ Scribed by Philippa Tomczak

• Publisher: Bristol University Press
• Year: 2018
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 180
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Although prison suicide is a global problem, there is little knowledge about the investigations occurring after prison suicides. Addressing this gap, this book provides the first detailed case study of the investigations that follow prison suicides: using England and Wales. Despite the large range of institutions that monitor English and Welsh prisons, suicides reached a record high in 2016, with the rate having doubled since 2012. These deaths represent the sharp end of a continuum of suffering, self-harm, despair and distress within prisons, which affects prisoners, their families and prison staff. This book details and critiques the lengthy and expensive police, ombudsman and coroner investigations that follow prison suicides. Drawing on extensive document analysis, including analysis of over 100 Prison and Probation Ombudsman fatal incident investigations, and original semi-structured interviews with stakeholders undertaken between 2016-2017, this book provides a novel analysis of prison oversight.

✦ Table of Contents

PRISON SUICIDE
Dedication
Contents
Detailed contents
Acronyms
Notes on the author
Acknowledgements
1. Prison suicide and its aftermath
Introduction
The case study: England and Wales
Defining prison suicide: “They’re just as dead, whatever the motivations”
Prison suicides in context: vicious cycles, institutional apathy and stigma
The consequences
Safer Custody
Book structure
2. Post-suicide investigations
Introduction
Police
Health and Safety Executive
Ombudsman
Coroner
HMP Woodhill
Discussion
3. Experiencing investigations
Introduction
Police
Ombudsman
Clinical review
Coroner: “Show some respect, this isn’t funny for us”
Discussion
4. Prison oversight
Introduction
Prison directors
Prison detectors
Prison effectors
Praise
Prison oversight and prison suicide
References
Index