Home > The incidence and profile of self-harm among prisoners: findings from the self-harm assessment and data analysis project 2017-2019.

McTernan, Niall and Griffin, Eve and Cully, Grace and Kelly, Enda and Hume, Sarah and Corcoran, Paul (2023) The incidence and profile of self-harm among prisoners: findings from the self-harm assessment and data analysis project 2017-2019. International Journal of Prisoner Health, 19, (4), pp. 565-577. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijph-02-2023-0012.

PURPOSE Internationally, rates of suicide and lifetime self-harm are higher in prisoners compared to the general population. This study aims to identify specific characteristics of self-harming behaviour and to establish a profile of prisoners who engage in self-harm.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH Data from the Self-Harm Assessment and Data Analysis Project (SADA) on self-harm episodes in prisons in the Republic of Ireland during 2017-2019 was used. Annual rates per 1,000 were calculated by age and gender.

FINDINGS The rate of self-harm between 2017 and 2019 was 31 per 1,000 prisoners for men and six times higher at 184 per 1,000 prisoners for women. The rate of self-harm was twice as high among prisoners on remand than sentenced prisoners (60.5 versus 31.3 per 1,000). The highest rates of self-harm among sentenced prisoners were observed among 18-29-year-old men (45 per 1,000) and women (125 per 1,000). The rate of self-harm was higher among women prisoners in all age groups. Contributory factors associated with self-harm were mainly related to mental health but also linked to a prisoner's environment and relationships.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS There is a need to ensure access to timely and suitable mental health services, including both appropriate referral and provision of evidence-based mental health interventions to address the needs of these cohorts.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first national study to systematically examine incidence and patterns of self-harm among the prison population in Ireland. The recording of severity/intent of each episode is novel when assessing self-harm among the prison population.


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