average suicide rate

Women prisoners at the California Institution for Women (CIW) were given the knowledge to promote awareness at its second annual Suicide Prevention Week.

CIW prisoners enjoying the day on the yard

The September event started with the inmate Suicide Prevention Outreach Committee members distributing posters and passing out program pamphlets to inform the incarcerated women of the upcoming week’s events, according to the prison’s press release.

“The inmates played games, spoke with community religious organizations, [and] received information on warning signs,” said Rosie Thomas, Public Information Officer for the prison, in an email to San Quentin News.

The week event raised $2,296 to be donated to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The women raised the money by having the chance to dunk a city official and staff members into a water tank.

Councilman Gary George of Chino City and Associate Director Amy Miller attended the event’s opening ceremony. California’s state Senator Connie Levy was also a guest speaker for the day, which was a Monday.

The following day, which was September 11, CIW’s staff and the incarcerated women Honor Guards worked together to honor those who had fallen during 9/11.

The day after, Miller kicked off the event by being the first to be dunked in the dunk tank. This was followed by many correctional staff of all ranks joining in on the fun, said Thomas.

Women prisoners who are a part of the Prison Authority Industry Construction program help transformed different areas of the prison by creating Suicide Prevention Outreach Committee sitting areas.

“The concrete benches circled what the inmates call the tree of hope,” said Thomas. “Inmates also volunteered their time to create a garden area with painted rocks to symbolize hope.”

From 2014 to 2015, there were four suicides and at least 20 suicide attempts at the prison, according to The Guardian.

CIW had eight times the national rate for female inmate’s suicides and more than five times the rate for all of California’s prisons for those years, according to the article.

This sparked many protests from family members who had a love one died in the prison custody.

San Quentin held its own Mental Wellness Week that started Sept. 9 where the theme was “Hope,” which outside volunteers wore black T-shirts with the suicide prevention ribbon design as a symbol of hope.

As suicides are still an issue in California’s prisons, some institutions are taking the steps to keep their populations informed.

CIW’s Senior Psychologist Specialist M. DuMont led the Suicide Prevention Outreach Committee and planned the week’s activities that brought awareness to the seriousness of suicide prevention to the incarcerated women, according to the press release.

“By the end of the week, staff and inmates all agreed working together to create awareness in the CIW community was a success,” said Thomas in the email.

• Shaylene Graves 27, She died six weeks away from her release.

• Before Shaylene, Erika Rocha committed suicide.

• Erika was 35 years old and had been incarcerated for 21 years. She was one day away from her Youth Parole Hearing.

• Shadae Schmidt (Dae Dae) who died at CIW in Feb. 2014,

• Alicia Thompson who died of an alleged suicide in Feb. 2014

Sen. Connie M. Leyva, D. Chino

Legislation is working its way through the California Legislature that would require prisons to promptly notify family or contact persons when an inmate dies, attempts suicide, or is seriously ill or injured.

The measure, SB 960, would ensure that prison officials notify family members and loved ones within 24 hours, reported East County Today.

“While in custody, inmates must receive the mental health and other services they need to keep them safe and healthy,” said the author, Sen. Connie M. Leyva, D-Chino.

The Senate Public Safety Committee approved SB 960 in April.

“It is disturbing that, for years, California prison suicide rates have been higher than those across the country. California prisons must clearly take affirmative steps to make sure that inmates receive the care and services they need to prevent injuries and deaths — and particularly suicide,” stated Leyva.

“64% of California’s jail population is awaiting trial or sentencing as of December 2016.” Most remain in pretrial custody because they cannot afford bail. Jail Profile Survey, http://www.bscc.ca.gov/

In 2017, the California State Auditor observed several state prisons’ shortcomings related to suicide response and prevention, the article stated. The auditor’s results showed that some state prisons have failed to monitor at-risk inmates, complete behavioral risk evaluations and treatment plans, and did not have staff complete required training related to suicide prevention and response.

The audit pointed out that, from 2005 through 2013, the average suicide rate in California prisons (22 per 100,000) was considerably higher than the average rate of 15.66 per 100,000 in U.S. state prisons.

A state audit released last year revealed that state prisons did not properly implement policy and procedures, according to the article. This factor may have added to the recent rise in female inmate suicides.

In 2012, women accounted for 5 percent of state prisons’ inmate population and 4 percent of its suicides. From 2014 to 2016, they made up four percent of the inmate population but accounted for 11 percent of suicides, the article reported.

California’s skyrocketing prison budget

CIW hosts second annual Suicide Prevention Week

SB 960 to notify family