SACRAMENTO – Senator Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino) is pleased to announce that the Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC) today approved an important audit to examine suicide prevention and reduction policies, procedures and practices at state prisons across California.
Though the audit itself will include several prisons within the California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation’s (CDCR’s) jurisdiction, Senator Leyva’s audit request stems from a significant recent increase in the number and rate of suicides at the California Institution for Women (CIW), a women’s prison located in the 20th State Senate District.
During an eighteen month period in 2014-15, the suicide rate at this facility was eight times the national average for women prisoners and five times the rate for the entire California prison system. During this same time period, there were four suicides and at least 35 suicide attempts. Since the beginning of 2016, there have been two suicides at this facility. The most recent death was on June 1, 2016: a 26 year old woman who was six weeks away from her release date. Prior to 2014, there were three suicides total in 14 years. At CIW from October 2014 to March 2015, nine women were sent for emergency care due to suicide risk and there were over 400 referrals for suicidal behavior during the same period.
“I am thankful to my JLAC colleagues for approving this timely and important audit that will look into the recent spike in suicides and attempted suicides at CIW compared to other prisons and prison populations across the state,” Senator Leyva said. “As difficult as day-to-day life clearly is for inmates in our prison system, suicide should never be seen as a viable option. Regardless of what this audit finds, we must continue to ensure that state prisons are providing the necessary mental health care and other support systems vital to inmate health and wellbeing.”
The audit approved today will include an assessment of the current suicide crisis at CIW, as well as provide recommendations on methods to reduce this continuing emergency situation at the prison. The audit is expected to evaluate a host of issues relevant to this crisis, including:
- CDCR’s policies and procedures for inmates that express suicidal behavior and/or tendencies
- Uniformity of policies and procedures implementation across CDCR
- Comparison of suicide rates and attempts across all California prisons (male and female)
- Availability, access and use of mental health care services for and by inmates
- Potential causes and factors contributing to high suicide rates and attempts at CIW
- Appropriate implementation of CDCR’s suicide prevention and related policies at CIW
- Medical treatment and housing options for suicidal inmates at CIW
- Previous and ongoing suicide prevention and reduction training for CIW staff
The California State Auditor will conduct the independent audit over the next several months and issue a public report once the analysis is completed
