Perceptions of correctional officers about suicidal behavior among prisoners in Dubrava prison

Abstract

The number of suicide cases in Dubrava prison in Kosovo has increased from year to year. This study is based on the survey with 273 correctional officers at Dubrava Prison, aged 20–64-years-old, with 2 to 25 years of job experience. The aim of this article is to show the perception of the correctional officers about the motives that push prisoners through the suicide act. The objective of this study is to express the bi-variate correlation with the Pearson coefficient between independent variables of stigma, losing hope, correctional environment, court decision with the dependent variable of suicide behavior. Results shows that exist a strong positive correlation between the number of cases motivated by the correctional environment and court decision. Also, the study presents data about the season and time in which suicide cases are more present according to the experience of correctional officers. Results shows suicide cases occur after midnight and in the early hours of the morning, and most of them in the first part of spring.