Self-harm and overcrowding among prisoners in Geneva, Switzerland

Wolff, Hans; Casillas, Alejandra; Perneger, Thomas; Heller, Patrick; Golay, Diane; Mouton, Elisabeth; Bodenmann, Patrick; Gétaz, Laurent

doi:10.1108/ijph-04-2015-0009

Cited by 12 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…These feelings matter because they threaten the legitimacy of correctional institutions and impact the capacity for effective prison management. As prisons become more depriving, prisoners are more at risk for rule violations and violence (Rocheleau, 2013), recidivism (Johnson-Listwan et al, 2013), diminished psychological well-being (Johnson-Listwan et al, 2010;Marshall, Simpson, and Stevens, 2000;Slotboom et al, 2011), rioting (Colvin, 1992), and suicide (Dye, 2010;Huey and McNulty, 2005;Wolff et al, 2016), all of which impact prison management. Indeed, this ever-present potential for disorder is why administrators see value in having a formal process in place for reviewing prisoner grievances (Calavita and Jenness, 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Avoiding the Runaround: The Link Between Cultural Health Capital and Health Management Among Older Prisoners*

Novisky

2018

Criminology

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The link between incarceration and health is of emerging empirical interest to criminological scholars. Yet, we still know little about the needs of the rising population of older prisoners and the health issues they face. By drawing on qualitative data gathered from 193 interviews with older men incarcerated across three U.S. prisons, I examine the specific health promotion strategies available to, and used by, these men through a cultural health capital framework. Findings show that older prisoners make deliberate choices to protect their health from the constraints and deprivations inherent in their carceral lives. In the hopes of better managing chronic and acute disease, the strategies prisoners reference include acquiring medical information, making food and diet modifications, and health advocacy. Notably, the mobilization of cultural health capital is situated within a context of privilege, leaving important implications for both incarcerated individuals and correctional administrators.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Avoiding the Runaround: The Link Between Cultural Health Capital and Health Management Among Older Prisoners*

Novisky

2018

Criminology

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“…Further studies should also develop assessments of prison violence that allow comparisons between prisons and include less severe forms of violence. Finally, prison violence can also mean psychological violence, such as harassment, bullying, or sexual violence (19). Future studies should also investigate this kind of violence.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do Overcrowding and Turnover Cause Violence in Prison?

et al. 2020

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Violence is common in prison and its individual risk factors are well documented. However, there is a mixed evidence on the relationship between prison violence and institutional factors, such as overcrowding and turnover, and recent research suggested that these factors may not be important or relevant. This study investigated the association between prison violence and institutional factors in a Swiss pre-trial prison between 2013 and 2018. Measures included violence (assaults requiring immediate medical attention) as well as the annual overcrowding and turnover rates. Using a meta-regression, the results showed that prison violence was higher when overcrowding and turnover increased. Overall, our study highlighted that institutional prison factors might have notable detrimental effects on prison life. Reduction of prison overcrowding and turnover appear critical to reduce prisoners' vulnerability. Turning prison into safe places designed to promote desistance would probably not be achievable without considering these crucial factors.

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“…Institutional factors may also increase the risk of self-harm [ 3 , 4 ]. Recently, attention has been drawn to prison overcrowding, that is, when the prison population (occupation rate) exceeds the official prison capacity [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Overcrowding results in a lack of basic comfort and privacy which are essential in preserving a person’s dignity (e.g., sharing cells designed for one person).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…All these factors are likely to increase the vulnerability of PLD (people living in detention), that is, risks for social, physical and psychological health of PLD [ 12 ]. Furthermore, overcrowding may increase the risk of self-harm and suicide among PLD [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]. However, previous studies investigating this association reported inconsistent findings.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Overcrowding was associated with prison suicide in some studies [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ] but not in others [ 5 , 6 ]. Overcrowding was associated with specific self-harm events (self-strangulations and self-hangings) in one study [ 11 ] but to our knowledge, no other studies focused on the relationship between overcrowding and non-suicidal self-injury (including self-injury without intent to die). Non-suicidal self-injury can lead to subsequent suicide [ 2 ] and, therefore, achieving a better understanding of the mechanisms affecting prison suicide is paramount.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Association of Overcrowding and Turnover with Self-Harm in a Swiss Pre-Trial Prison

Baggio

Gétaz

Tran

et al. 2018

IJERPH

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Self-harm is a common issue in detention and includes both suicidal and non-suicidal behaviours. Beyond well-known individual risk factors, institutional factors such as overcrowding (i.e., when the prison population exceeds its capacity) and turnover (i.e., the rate at which the prison population is renewed), may also increase the risk of self-harm. However, these factors are understudied or previous studies reported inconsistent findings. This study investigated the association of self-harm with overcrowding and turnover in the largest pre-trial Swiss prison in Geneva. Data were collected yearly between 2011 and 2017. Measures included self-harm (all kinds of self-injuring acts requiring medical attention, including self-strangulations and self-hangings). We performed meta-regressions to analyse the relationships between self-harm and institutional factors. Self-harm events were frequent, with a prevalence estimate of 26.4%. Overcrowding and turnover were high (average occupation rate of 177% and average turnover of 73%, respectively). Overcrowding and turnover were significantly associated with self-harm (respectively b = 0.068, p < 0.001 and (b = 1.257, p < 0.001). In both cases, self-harm was higher when overcrowding and turnover increased. Overcrowding and turnover raise important human rights concerns and have damaging effects on the health of people living in detention. Identification of and care for this vulnerable population at risk of self-harm are needed and institutional factors should be addressed.

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Self-harm and overcrowding among prisoners in Geneva, Switzerland

Cited by 12 publications

References 15 publications

Avoiding the Runaround: The Link Between Cultural Health Capital and Health Management Among Older Prisoners*

Avoiding the Runaround: The Link Between Cultural Health Capital and Health Management Among Older Prisoners*

Do Overcrowding and Turnover Cause Violence in Prison?

Association of Overcrowding and Turnover with Self-Harm in a Swiss Pre-Trial Prison

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