Suicide Amongst Women Prisoners

The rate of suicide amongst women prisoners is seriously underestimated. The relatively small numbers of women in prison often leads to the neglect of their specific needs and concern. Their suicide rate in prison has been increasing. Women prisoners talk about family and child‐care concern more often than male prisoners do. There may also be other reasons for their greater vulnerability in prison. It may be that the fact of imprisonment has a different and more specific impact on women than upon men. The subjective, qualitative aspects of the prison experience are rarely investigated. As a result, the pains of imprisonment are tragically underestimated.