Michigan Prisoner Suicide Report to the Legislature

For a better version of this report, please click on the link:  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/corrections/03-01-12_-_Section_305_378137_7.pdf

REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE

Pursuant to P.A. 63 of 2011

Section 305

Prisoner Suicide Report

This report provides information as requested in Section 305 of PA 63 of 2011 regarding prisoners who committed suicide during the previous calendar year (January 1-December 31, 2011). In order to protect confidentiality the data is being provided in summary narrative by section, rather than in table format specific to each prisoner. All unique identifiers have been removed.

(a) The prisoners’ age, offense, sentence and admission date for six suicides occurring in 2011:

 

Offense – Murder 1st degree, Larceny in a Building, Criminal Sexual Conduct 1st degree, Home Invasion 2nd degree with concurrent sentence for CSC 1st degree, Criminal Sexual Conduct 3rd degree person age 13-15 and Larceny from a person.

Sentence – Life, 1-4 years, 10-30 years, 8-15 years and 10-30 years, 2 ½-15 years, 2 ½-10 years.

  

Admission Dates - November 2007, December 2010, June 2001, April 2001, June 2007 and January 2008

Earnest C. Brooks Correctional Facility B-008B

Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility 5-C-313L

Richard A. Handlon Correctional Facility F-22

Macomb Correctional Facility 7-058-B

Oaks Correctional Facility 5-222

 Six deaths were a result of hanging

(c) Circumstances:

 

(e) Whether the suicide occurred in a housing unit, a segregation unit, a mental health unit, or else where on the grounds of the facility:

The deaths occurred in February 2011, March 2011, May 2011, June 2011 and two deaths in August 2011.

 

 

disabled prisoners.

(h) Details on the department’s responses to each suicide, including immediate on-site responses

and subsequent internal investigations:

One prisoner never received a referral for a mental health evaluation at anytime during his incarceration, three prisoners were evaluated within one month of their deaths and assessed as a low risk for suicide, one prisoner was evaluated admitted to a higher level of mental health care and one prisoner was assessed as a medium risk for suicide and placed in a mental health unit for dually diagnosed mentally ill and developmental

hospitals.

In all six cases emergency medical response was immediately initiated by custody staff upon discovery of prisoner and recognition of a suicide attempt. Health care staff at each facility were immediately notified and in each case responded to the emergency. Per protocol, local emergency medical services were also contacted and responded to the facility. Four of the prisoners were pronounced dead at the facility, two prisoners were  pronounced dead at the hospital and all six cases were transported off the facility to

  

(i) A description of any monitoring and psychiatric interventions that had been undertaken prior to the prisoner’s suicide, including any changes in placement or mental health care:

Of the six cases, two cases were on mental health program caseloads and one of those had recently been transferred to a higher level of care. Both prisoners were receiving psychotropic medications and therapy.

 

Four of the prisoners had no documented history of suicide attempt in the past. In two cases there was a history of prior attempt; one within nine years of the suicide and one within six years of death.

(j) Whether the prisoner had previously attempted suicide:

All cases were the subject of critical incident reports and reviews at the local level and Central Office CFA administrative level. Each case underwent mortality review at the Regional Health Care level and the Statewide Mortality Review committee.

(g) Whether the prisoner had received a mental health evaluation or assessment:

Of the six individuals, three were denied parole; one prisoner was denied nine months prior to the suicide, one prisoner was denied parole eight months prior to the suicide and one prisoner was denied parole six months prior to the suicide. Two prisoners were not eligible for parole consideration and one prisoner was deferred to D-47 status (special needs mental health).

(f) Whether the prisoner had been denied parole and the date of any denial:

Three deaths occurred in general housing units, one death occurred in mental health RTP unit and two deaths occurred in segregation units.

(d) The dates of the suicide:

Gus Harrison Correctional Facility 1-206-B

(b) Each prisoner’s facility and unit:

 

Age - Prisoners’ ages were 39 years, 47 years, 32 years, 33 years, 26 years and 26 years.