Solitary confinement and risk of self-harm among jail inmates

F. Kaba, A. Lewis, S. Glowa-Kollisch, J. Hadler, D. Lee, H. Alper, D. Selling, R. MacDonald, A. Solimo, A. Parsons and H. Venters

American Journal of Public Health, 2014, vol. 104, issue 3, 442-447

Abstract: Objectives. We sought to better understand acts of self-harm among inmates in correctional institutions. Methods. We analyzed data from medical records on 244 699 incarcerations in the New York City jail system from January 1, 2010, through January 31, 2013. Results. In 1303 (0.05%) of these incarcerations, 2182 acts of self-harm were committed, (103 potentially fatal and 7 fatal). Although only 7.3% of admissions included any solitary confinement, 53.3% of acts of self-harm and 45.0% of acts of potentially fatal self-harm occurred within this group. After we controlled for gender, age, race/ethnicity, serious mental illness, and length of stay, we found self-harm to be associated significantly with being in solitary confinement at least once, serious mental illness, being aged 18 years or younger, and being Latino or White, regardless of gender. Conclusions. These self-harm predictors are consistent with our clinical impressions as jail health service managers. Because of this concern, the New York City jail system has modified its practices to direct inmates with mental illness who violate jail rules to more clinical settings and eliminate solitary confinement for those with serious mental illness.

Keywords: adolescent; adult; age distribution; article; automutilation; female; human; male; medical audit; mental disease; middle aged; multivariate analysis; prisoner; psychological aspect; risk assessment; sex ratio; social isolation; United States; young adult, Adolescent; Adult; Age Distribution; Female; Humans; Male; Medical Audit; Mental Disorders; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; New York City; Prisoners; Risk Assessment; Self-Injurious Behavior; Sex Distribution; Social Isolation; Young Adult (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.2105/AJPH.2013.301742

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2013.301742_8

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301742

Access Statistics for this article

American Journal of Public Health is currently edited by Alfredo Morabia

More articles in American Journal of Public Health from American Public Health Association
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Christopher F Baum ().