The Relationship Between Administrative Segregation And Self-Harm Mental Health Crisis Amongst Inmates

• In Event: Poster Session

Abstract

Self-harm is defined as an act perpetrated on oneself that has the potential to cause bodily damage, disability, or death, regardless of whether death occurs (Kaba, 2014). Despite the fact that the subject of prisoner self-harm has been acknowledged in academic, legal, and professional circles for over 30 years, there have been very few competent empirical research on it (Lohner & Konrad 2006). This work aims to not only discuss but also to fill this vacuum in the literature particularly when one considers that (a) repeated self-harm increases the risk of fatal self-harm exponentially over time (Brain, Haines, & Williams, 1997; Owens, Horrocks, & House, 2002; Zahl & Hawton, 2004), (b) Self-Harm prisoners are significantly more likely to be placed in Administrative Segregation at maximum security for extended periods of time (Brain, Haines, & Williams, 1997; Owens, Horrocks, & House, 2002 (Lanes, 2009). As a result, the goal of this study is to dig deeper into the impact of administrative segregation on the development of self-harm mental health crises, a common example of deviant behavior among inmates in a typical prison facility, in order to gather more evidence that can objectively inform policy refinement in the use of administrative segregation.

Author

• Bassey Kooffreh, University of Mississippi