SSN Commentary

Prison Suicide Is an Untold Story of Our Failure To Provide Compassionate Rehabilitation

Policy field

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Michigan State University

Originally published as "Prison Suicide Is an Untold Story of Our Failure To Provide Compassionate Rehabilitation," Lansing State Journal, October 20, 2020.

When John asked for help, he was told that no one was coming. The staff said it was because of COVID-19. Then, as John begged to speak to someone, they said mental health staff wasn’t there. John started to get loud, and the officers yelled back, and they decided to take him to the hole. Before he went, John slipped a piece of paper under the door with his sister’s address on it.

“I got a bad feeling,” my friend said.