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Suicide in Jail for Non Payment of Child Support
What I find to be amazing(sic) is that rather than take a look at the underlying
problem that led a man to kill himself in jail, they merely seek to make it harder for such men to kill themselves in the future. Don't these morons understand that when justice flys out the window, people will take matters into their own hands? It is only a matter of time before men stop directing their frustration and anger at themselves and start directing it towards others. And what do we all think the response of those in power will be? Restore the balance of justice? No, I don't think so. Enact ever increasingly restrictive & draconian laws in an ultimately futile attempt to contain and control the disenfranchised? I'd put money on it. "Hunger Strike for Justice" wrote in message m... Suicide watch policy changed TRIBUNE-REVIEW Tuesday, July 8, 2003 Changes in the suicide-watch policies at the Westmoreland County Prison continue to be made as a result of an investigation into an April suicide at the facility. But allegations of a cover-up by prison employees over that suicide have proven to be unfounded, Westmoreland County Prison Board Chairman Tom Ceraso said Monday. Officials launched an investigation into the April suicide of inmate Robert R. Steadman, 33, of Sewickley Township, who hanged himself in his cell after being jailed for failing to make a payment ordered by family court. County officials began the investigation because Steadman was placed in the general population instead of under supervision, even though he had been on suicide watch during a previous stay at the lockup. Sources have said that an intake counselor noted Steadman should be placed on suicide watch again, but that didn't happen. The internal investigators looked into reports that a document was falsified to show no notation that Steadman was a suicide risk. But Ceraso, a county commissioner, said yesterday the investigation, which has been concluded, showed no such cover-up occurred. He declined to provide further details but said the investigation has led to policy changes at the prison, which has seen four suicides since 2001. Those changes were outlined by new Warden John R. Walton during yesterday's prison board meeting. As prisoners come into the facility, the booking officer now looks back into their records three years to see if they ever have been on suicide watch during previous stints, Walton said. If they have, they automatically will be put on suicide watch. "One gentleman last week was a little unruly about (automatically being put on suicide watch), but he did comply," Walton said. In addition, Walton said he has ordered suicide prevention and crisis intervention booklets to give to all prison employees as a training device. A new form has been introduced that guards will use while monitoring an inmate on suicide watch. The old form, Walton told the board, just had space for the time and the guard's initials to indicate that an inmate was checked. Now, the guard must provide a description of exactly what the inmate was doing during the check -- such as sleeping on his back. "It will add some credibility to our watches," Walton said. This week, the prison will implement a new set of 18 screening questions to determine whether an incoming prisoner should be on suicide watch. Walton said most prisoners knew how to answer the old questions to get around the system. Prison officials will begin this week to double-bunk inmates deemed potentially suicidal in the belief they will be less likely to kill themselves if they are in cells with another person, Walton said. And two new cells are being built to house prisoners on suicide watch. Plans also are in the works to add video cameras to the medical units where, Walton said, the last two suicides took place. Four cameras and monitors at a cost of about $1,300 will be needed for the new cells and the medical units, Walton said. The prison board also recommended that some hiring take place. The members recommended two counselor positions be created and six part-time correctional officers be hired. Those recommendations go to the county salary board for approval. Ceraso said those moves reflect the overcrowding problem at the prison and staff vacation scheduling rather than the suicide issue. But another recommendation, doubling the time a private psychiatrist spends at the prison to four hours a week, is related to the number of inmates that will now be put on suicide watch under the policy changes, Ceraso said. That recommendation must be approved by the commissioners. Jennifer Reeger can be reached at or (724) 836-6155. Back to headlines |
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