Inmate Suicide
The Effects of Depression
By Daniel Muniz

One dilemma that many correctional institutions face is that of prisoners attempting to commit suicide in their cells. In maximum security facilities, the worst of the worst and the most violent inmates are temporarily housed in segregation units apart from the rest of the prison population. It is here in this rugged isolation that many convicts try to take their own life, especially when they are first placed there.

The inmates are locked up 23 hours out of the day and they basically have no human contact with other prisoners, which is the reason why they were separated in the first place. They are also deprived of the basic privileges that other prisoners enjoy such as radio and television. Although they are often separated from the rest of the prison population for a month or two, the stay in a segregation unit can also extend out for several months at a time depending on the severity of the infraction and the number of recurrences.

However, it is the onset of this isolation that often triggers an enormous depression because a prisoner faces the aspect of being cut off from everyone else. Even though a convict may not get along with other inmates because of violent and unacceptable behavior, he still very much needs that human contact and interaction with other people to preserve whatever is left of his identity. And without it, he sees himself as being unable to endure.

Also, being incarcerated for years and for decades can take its toll on an inmate.

Separation from loved ones, especially parents, spouses, and other family members inevitably causes emotional stress. Events go on without them, such as their kids growing up or their parents passing away and there is no way that they can be a part of it because they are behind bars.

Now I don’t want to sound completely heartless but prison isn’t a nice place to be at.

If you are locked up, life does go on without you.

And if you are isolated in a tiny cell with almost no human contact and no privileges because of violent or unacceptable behavior, prison life still goes on without you.

Although depression is an awful thing for anybody to go through, the mere fact that an inmate is experiencing it in prison is not cause for much sympathy from the public. Being deprived of freedom and the basics of life is part of the package of incarceration. Consequently, most of society doesn’t really care how depressed an inmate gets as long as he is locked up and is unable to inflict harm on the rest of us.

As for the people who are susceptible to it, there is no escaping the forbidding sense of hopelessness inside a segregated unit because there is no one else to share the pain with. Yes, it is regrettable but that is also part of being sentenced for a crime and the consequences that are attached to it.

It is unfortunate that a prisoner has suicidal tendencies because of the isolation. Correctional institutions do need to implement additional safeguards to intervene before it can take place. As a result, (and because of court orders) prison personnel now frequently check up on an inmate for the first 72 hours and then keep an eye on him afterwards. And for those who have been identified as a prospect for suicide, the prison staff will place the proper restraints on a convict to prevent him from causing bodily harm to himself or from taking his own life.

However, depression is the price to pay for breaking the law.

Many criminals do not even consider the depth and the extent of the consequences of their actions.

Unfortunately, too many of them think of themselves as a victim of the system. They don’t seem to accept that society will mete out a punishment to an offender and the more serious the crime is, then the more punitive it can be. Taxpayers do not expect prison to be a resort but they do expect a violent offender to be punished. And the harsh reality is that there is no smooth painless way to render punishment. Depression is just a byproduct of it.

Jail is a terrible place to be and it was never intended to a nice place.

But the bottom line is that if the crime never took place, then this wouldn’t be happening.

Unfortunately, young hoodlums and reckless individuals cannot even imagine what kind of ramifications are in store for them when they embark on their irresponsible careless behavior. As a society, we hold people accountable for their actions. Prison is simply the result of that accountability.

No prisoner should ever have to commit suicide while they are incarcerated. However, they were the ones who put themselves in such a hopeless situation and they only have themselves to blame for it.

And if they don’t like being in jail, the best thing that they can do is not come back after they are released.

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