Progress update for Suicide and Self-harm Threat to Life report
10 September 2024
Suicide and self-harm are significant issues in prisons both here in New Zealand and internationally, and it is well known that many of the risk factors for suicide and self-harm are present in many people in prison. In such a high-risk population, it can be difficult for Corrections staff to predict who will and who will not be involved in a suicide or serious self-harm incident. It can be equally difficult for staff and clinicians to know which treatments and interventions will be successful for a particular person.
The Inspectorate's Suicide and Self-harm Threat to Life Incidents in New Zealand Prisons report was released in February 2024.
This report acknowledges that there are no easy solutions when it comes to suicide and self-harm prevention in prisons. However, there are practices and interventions that can help to save lives and reduce self-harm incidents. Corrections has a duty of care to all people in prison and must do everything it can to identify and mitigate the risk of suicide and self-harm.
The report included the recommendation that "Corrections must regularly update its Suicide Prevention and Postvention Advisory Group about its progress towards the recommendations and areas for consideration in this report. The Office of the Inspectorate will report on progress publicly at periodic intervals."
The first progress report has now been released,