Abstract

CEBALLOS-ESPINOZA, Francisco; CHAVEZ-HERNANDEZ, Ana-María; PADILLA-GALLEGOS, Gustavo-Morelos  and  LEENAARS, Antoon A.. Suicide in Chilean prisons during the 2006-2015 decade. Rev. Crim. [online]. 2016, vol.58, n.3, pp.101-118. ISSN 1794-3108.

Chile exhibits an alarming increase in the number of suicides among both the general population and the prison community, this being a matter of concern for justice and health authorities. Objective: the analysis of suicides committed by prisoners in Chilean jails during years 2006-2015 in order to obtain the profile of both the suicide acts and penitentiary socio-criminogenic features. Methodology: out of a total of 162 suicides, the 132 cases examined by the Criminal Investigation Police of Chile were analyzed. Results: 97.7% of suicides were committed by men of all ages from 16 through 74 years. Two thirds (66.7%) were individuals with previous admissions into prison; but most of them (97.7%) did neither have criminal backgrounds nor former convictions. A majority (65.1%) occurred during the first year in prison. 73.5% prisoners were single, only 47% had basic studies, and 84.8% had no specific jobs. A depressed mood was reported in 43.2% as a trigger factor of suicide, and hanging was the most common method used (97%). Differences were found with significant statistics in certain correlations like, for example, between the study level and the motive for suicide revealed, and between the study level and previous periods of incarceration; and likewise, there is a relevant correlation where the youngest individuals show the highest number of admissions into prison and the lower study level

Keywords : Suicide; prisons; prison population; prisoners; Chile.

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