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| Alabama Has Lowest Prison Suicide Rate |
| By al.com |
| Published: 03/11/2010 |
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UNION SPRINGS -- The Alabama prison system has plenty of well-publicized problems -- not enough money, not enough correctional officers, not enough space, to name a few -- but officials say inmate suicide is not one of them. During fiscal 2009, when the system housed more than 25,000 prisoners, one took his own life and four made unsuccessful attempts. Two committed suicide the year before. So far during the current fiscal year, the system has had no suicides and 11 attempts. Dr. Ron Cavanaugh, a clinical psychologist who oversees mental health treatment in the prison system, said that nationally, the annual state prison suicide rate is about 16 per 100,000. Alabama's inmate suicide rate has been about four per 100,000 -- about one per year. No one factor explains the state's low prison suicide rate, but Department of Corrections officials say it is due in large part to a program they put in place after the state reached a settlement of a longstanding mental health care lawsuit known as the Bradley case in 2000. Read More. |
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