Criminal counseling essay

Research shows that suicide is worldwide self-inflicted acts that nine out of ten times end in death.   Every year, a regular of 35, 000 suicide deaths happen in the United States and it is projected that 7, 000 of those suicides which are usually committed by teenagers (Fazel, 2011) There a lot of Psychologists which have identified the teenage years as to be one of the hardest stages of human life.   For the duration of this phase, they are usually out there trying to learn new social roles, new relationships are being formed, bodily changes are happening and choices in regards to their future are being made. Even though this stage is normally looked at as a period to be able to get out there enjoy as many friendships as they can and do other activities that adults would not usually even think about doing. A lapse in one of these groups can outcome in suicidal leanings, and every so often a teenager’s or even an adult suicide in correctional facilities and prisons might be a cry for help.  With that said, this paper will compare and contrast two Inmate Suicide programs which are the following: Corrections Corporation of America and Jefferson County Corrections Department Inmate Watch Program Helps Prevent Suicides.

Corrections Corporation of America

Suicide is a major concern in corrections facilities all over the country. Research shows that there are almost one-third of inmate deaths have a lot to do with suicides. Even though suicide rates have gone done a lot abruptly since the 1980s, corrections facilities are still out there trying to find ways to stop suicides from even taking place. With that said, no other organization is more devoted to this cause than Corrections Corporation of America. This program is known for having a lesser suicide rate (30 per 100, 000 prisoners) than do public facilities (48 per 100, 000 convicts) (Fazel, 2011). Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) is a program that wants to make a difference in its services by being able to continuously do things such as improves the quality and safety of life for the inmates that are living within its walls.

Jefferson County Corrections Department Inmate Watch Program

There is a unique program that has been called “ Inmate Watch Program Helps Prevent Suicides”. This exclusive program is being functioned in the Jefferson County Corrections Department (Fazel, 2011). Louisville Kentucky has a population that is somewhere around 800, 000. During the time of writing this essay, it was just documented that their five correctional facilities have a day-to-day jail survey report which averages in excess of 1, 800. Their Hall of Justice correctional facility actually holds in excess of 700 beds and is the site of the famous suicide prevention watch program. Jefferson County has come up with a method which some correctional institutions are consuming in order to prevent inmate from killing themselves. The program uses inmates who are incarcerated there to just watch over the inmates who happened to have been placed there under a suicide watch (Strimple, 2003).

Differences in the Programs

What makes Corrections Corporation of America different from Jefferson County Corrections Department Inmate Watch Program is that CCA is trying to spread their wings a little. They are in the process of launching a pilot suicide prevention program that will be in three of its Florida facilities, and then not long after that the organization has some plans to try putting the program in its facilities that will be companywide. However, Jefferson County Corrections Department Inmate Watch has only one program in their state. Other more significant differences are how they do their screening. For example at Jefferson County Corrections Department Inmate Watch after they finish up doing their search, the newly admitted convict then goes through what is called a suicide risk checklist with all of the values that are eventually weighted. Every time this is done, it is administered by a nurse and then documented on a health screening sheet (Morgan, 2007). Later the nurse also does a brief mental health status inspection. If the recently admitted prisoner fits definite criteria by her or his responses, this shows that the individual(s) is in acute mental suffering. The jail’s psychologist is then informed instantly by the interviewer (Strimple, 2003).
However at Corrections Corporation of America the screening process is done a little different. Everything is done before they reach the facility. Their screening will take place at their prison and then they will be brought to the facility. Another difference is that Corrections Corporation of America has more experience with working with mentally ill patients than Jefferson County Corrections Department Inmate Watch. In Jefferson County, they deal with regular inmates that may be going through rough changes behind bars that decide to take their life. In fact, CCA has more of a history of establishing a system for steadiness of mental health care for at-risk prisoners.

Similarities

Some of the things that are similar in each program are that each facility has a licensed psychologist, a mental health counselor, or a social worker. In both places, the counselor treats convicts’ depression and monitors them carefully. Furthermore to counseling, convicts will obtain prescriptions in order to treat their issues (Morgan, 2007). Corrections Corporation of America and Jefferson County Corrections Department Inmate Watch both have a counselor that will work with the special-needs team to benefit convicts on making sure they have a steady path to recovery. Both programs also make sure that they are also educating their inmates. In both places, posters have been fashioned to raise consciousness of suicide warning indications and to let prisoners know where they are able to go for help. All of the inmates that are not at risk will acquire to report and identify those prisoners who are at risk. They also do not like crisis management at any of the institution. In both programs, it was interesting to find that they choose to try and stay one step ahead of the game. Both places do have what are known as suicide kits that are positioned on every housing pod in this organization. They also position social workers on the housing places to contact prisoners who are suicidal. Corrections Corporation of America and Jefferson County Corrections Department Inmate Watch are very active with suicide prevention and they likewise schedule training sessions on a monthly basis.

Positive Aspects of the Programs

Jefferson County Corrections Department Inmate Watch and Jefferson County Corrections Department Inmate Watch have many positive attributes. Jefferson County has trained their inmates to actually do a 24 hour watch program that can save the life of another inmate. The fact that they can get other inmates to be a brother’s keeper is astonishing. At CCA, there is what they have an approved watcher list which is kept by the sergeant. They have it set up that if one inmate is not able to perform their duties with helping out a prisoner that is suicidal, and then another inmate from this list is designated to fill this job. The fact that at both facilities that they are able to get volunteers that are willing to put their lives on the line is just good to hear. Also CCA all of the counselors are really dedicated with working with the mentally ill patients and the fact that they have even set up services that will help educate them on how they can prevent their own selves from committing suicide has been successful. Jefferson County Correction’s Inmate Watcher Program offers the inmate members an important chance to help in the prisoner welfare of their equals. This program has been helpful in stopping a big amount of prisoner’s suicides at the jail. In fact they are even recognized in the community. There have been letters of commendation granted on several prisoners by correctional managers for their accountable and rapid receptive actions in a possibly life threatening condition.

References

Blaauw, E. A. (2009). Demographic, criminal, and psychiatric factors related to inmate suicide. Suicide & Life – Threatening Behavior, 24(4), 63-75.
Fazel, S. G. (2011). Prison suicide in 12 countries: An ecological study of 861 suicides during 2003-2007. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology,, 23(9), 191-5.
Morgan, R. D. (2007). Needs for and barriers to correctional mental health services: Inmate perceptions. Psychiatric Services, 12(7), 123-127.
Strimple, E. O. (2003). A history of prison inmate-animal interaction programs. The American Behavioral Scientist, 13(5), 70-78.
Tripodi, S. J. (2011). Inmate suicide: Prevalence, assessment, and protocols. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention, 9(2), 23-34.