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Cited by 139Suicide and Self-Harm StudiesCriminal Justice and Corrections AnalysisHomicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse

Psychosocial influences on prisoner suicide: a case-control study of near-lethal self-harm in women prisoners

Marzano, Lisa, Hawton, Keith, Rivlin, Adrienne, Fazel, Seena·2011·Social Science & Medicine
DOI 10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.12.028
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Abstract

We examined the psychosocial influences on female prisoner suicide by carrying out a study of near-lethal self-harm. We interviewed 60 women prisoners who had recently engaged in near-lethal self-harm (cases) and 60 others who had never carried out near-lethal acts in prison (controls) from all closed female prison establishments in England and Wales, using mixed quantitative and qualitative methods. We gathered information on socio-demographic and criminological variables, life events and childhood trauma, exposure to suicidal behaviour, contributory and precipitating factors for near-lethal self-harm, social support and psychological characteristics. While socio-demographic factors were only modestly associated with near-lethal self-harm, being on remand, in single cell accommodation, and reporting negative experiences of imprisonment were strong correlates. Recent life events and past trauma, including different forms of childhood abuse, were also significantly associated with near-lethal self-harm, as were a family history of suicide and high scores on measures of depression, aggression, impulsivity and hostility, and low levels of self-esteem and social support. Our findings underline the importance of both individual and prison-related factors for suicide in custody, and hence the need for a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention in women's prisons. Given the multiple needs of female prisoners at-risk of self-harm and suicide, complex psychosocial interventions are likely to be required, including interventions for abused and bereaved women, and initiatives to improve staff-prisoner relationships and reduce bullying. The findings of this research may provide insights into factors leading to suicidal behaviour in other forensic and institutional settings, such as detention centres and psychiatric hospitals, and may assist in developing suicide prevention policies for prisoners and other at-risk populations.

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  • Female prisoners are more likely to experience additional stressors around separation from family and children, higher rates of background abusive histories, and bereavement.

    “Female prisoners are more likely to experience additional stressors around separation from family and children, higher rates of background abusive histories, and bereavement43 that might require interventions to be further tailored.”

    From Risk factors for self-harm in prison: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2020) · cites this paper as [43]

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Authors
Marzano, L., Hawton, K., Rivlin, A., & Fazel, S.
Affiliations
Warneford Hospital (GB)
Corresponding author
Hawton, Keith
ORCID
Venue
Social Science & Medicine
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2011-03
Volume
72
Issue
6
Pages
874-883
ISSN
0277-9536 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.12.028
OpenAlex
W2102952146
Cited by
139
References
57
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 6
FWCI
9.30
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Social Science & Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Homicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse
Keywords
prison suicide, women prisoners, psychosocial risk factors, childhood trauma, childhood abuse, family history of suicide, depression, social support, pretrial detention, suicide prevention
MeSH terms
Adult, England, Female, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Prisoners, Social Environment, Social Support, Suicide, Wales, Case-Control Studies, Self-Injurious Behavior, Young Adult

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