Abstract
The article deals with the problem of suicidal risk in Italian prisons. Beginning with a general analysis of the concept and the sociological approaches to suicide, we analyze the main studies on suicide in Italian penal institutions. We present updated Italian prisoners suicide statistics (2002-2015), which we then analyze and discuss both in absolute numbers and in percentage terms. The results indicate that the situation is critical: suicide is the leading cause of death in Italian prisons. The problem mainly affects Italian elder prisoners, the weakest group for mental and physical health. The trend data for female detainees reveal that the ability to adapt to prison life appears more difficult than for male detainees. In addition, suicide among foreign detainees has risen in recent years; a probable contributing factor is the inability to use alternative measures such as house arrest. The conclusion attests a need to provide health policies with treatment options for the cure and care of prisoners in difficulty, with a total approach responding not only to the specific symptoms or to risk behaviors but also to the whole person in a holistic sense.
Highlights
We present updated Italian prisoners suicide statistics (2002-2015), which we analyze and discuss both in absolute numbers and in percentage terms
The results indicate that the situation is critical: suicide is the leading cause of death in Italian prisons
The analysis affirms that suicide was the leading cause of death in Italian penal institutions from 2002 to 2015
Summary
We present updated Italian prisoners official suicide statistics (2002-2015), which we analyze and discuss both in absolute numbers and in percentage terms. Suicide is the most extreme of all self-injurious acts and is typical for conditions of severe psychological and social distress. It is a complex problem, not attributable to a single cause. Article 580 of the Italian Criminal Code stipulates, that it is an offense to incite or assist suicide, imposing higher penalties if the suicide is effective and if the suicidal person is mentally imbalanced, incapable of discernment or less than 14 years old In these cases, the instigator is given the same punishment as for the crime of intentional homicide
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