Post traumatic stress disorder symptoms in prisoners following a cell mate's hanging

Abstract Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a well recognised condition which occurs in people who have been exposed to severe trauma as victims, potential victims or witnesses. A review of case notes of all prisoners transferred since 1988 to a national forensic psychiatric hospital following traumatic hanging events in prison revealed that all patients had psychological symptoms and four had symptoms probably fulfilling PTSD according to DSM III R criteria. Our findings are discussed with reference to the literature on PTSD, the nature of the prison environment, the premorbid personality of prisoners, and the implications for dealing with the effect of suicide within a prison setting.