Title: Suicide and Suicide Methods in Prison: Inside Prison
Headings: Suicide Methods in Prison
Suicide Methods in Prison
Strangulation
Drug overdoses
Self-inflicted Wounds
Warning Signs

Content: Strangulation
The most common methods of suicide, for a number of reasons, are hanging and strangulation, and the most common ligature points for strangulation are window bars, followed by bed fittings. Inmates spend most of their time alone in their cell, where they have access to bedsheets, time, and privacy. Inmates also use wires, ropes (usually taken from a workplace), shoelaces, socks, or belts. The most typical regiment for strangulation involves propping oneself up on a stool or chair, tying a makeshift rope around an overhead pipe, fixing a firm knot around the neck, and kicking away the chair underfoot. This method usually takes about 5 minutes. Some have used pencils, as short as a few inches, to simulate a tourniquet with shoelaces. Some have tied their necks and a radiator pipe and simply continuously twisted their bodies to eventually cut off the circulation. Some inmates have successfully hanged themselves from no more than 6 inches off the floor, and from vertical pipes on the walls as opposed to horizontal pipes on the ceiling. Inmate mental health testing is essential to reduce suicide risk in prison. Photo credit: