Inmate-to-inmate violence as a marker of suicide attempt risk during imprisonment

Résumé

textbfOBJECTIVES: To estimate the incidence of suicide attempts during imprisonment in a French prison and to determine factors associated with them. textbfMETHODS: All male inmates of a prison for prisoners awaiting trial or serving a short sentence (Bordeaux, France) were eligible for this cross-sectional study. They were face-to-face interviewed by an experienced psychologist (n = 369; mean age = 36 years). Socio-demographic data, imprisonment conditions, health status, healthcare utilization, mental health, impulsiveness, inmate-to-inmate violence (victim and perpetrator status) and suicidal behaviours were documented. textbfRESULTS: The incidence of suicidal attempts during imprisonment was 13.4 per 100 person-years. Having made at least one suicide attempt during imprisonment was associated with: being a victim of physical or sexual violence without perpetrating, suffering from depressive and anxious symptoms, having children and having a poor perceived health status. A history of suicide attempt before imprisonment was not associated with the risk of suicide attempts while imprisoned. textbfCONCLUSION: Our results suggest that violence plays a major role in the suicidal process in prison. The inclusion of inmate-to-inmate violence in the screening checklists of inmate suicide risk should be explored. FRANCE EUROPE HOMME DÉTENU TENTATIVE FACTEUR-RISQUE VIOLENCE ABUS-PHYSIQUE ABUS-SEXUEL DÉPRESSION TROUBLE-ANXIEUX