@article{ref1,
title="Suicide risk among recently released prisoners in New South Wales, Australia",
journal="Medical journal of Australia",
year="2007",
author="Kariminia, Azar and Law, Matthew G. and Butler, Tony G. and Levy, Michael H. and Corben, Simon P. and Kaldor, J. M. and Grant, Luke",
volume="187",
number="7",
pages="387-390",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk of suicide and drug overdose death among recently released prisoners. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Retrospective cohort study of 85 203 adult offenders who had spent some time in full-time custody in prisons in New South Wales between 1 January 1988 and 31 December 2002. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Association between time after release and risk of suicide and overdose death. RESULTS: Of 844 suicides (795 men, 49 women), 724 (86%) occurred after release. Men had a higher rate of suicide than women both in prison (129 v 56 per 100 000 person-years) and after release (135 v 82 per 100 000 person-years). The suicide rate in men in the 2 weeks after release was 3.87 (95% CI, 2.26-6.65) times higher than the rate after 6 months. Male prisoners admitted to the prison psychiatric hospital had a threefold higher risk than non-admitted men both in prison and after release. No suicides among women were observed in the 2 weeks after release. No increased risk of suicide was observed among Aboriginal Australians in the first 2 weeks after release. Of 1674 deaths due to overdose, 1627 (97%) occurred after release. Drug-related mortality in men was 9.30 (95% CI, 7.80-11.10) times higher, and in women was 6.42 (95% CI, 3.88-10.62) times higher, in the 2 weeks after release than after 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Prisoners are at a heightened risk of suicide and overdose death in the immediate post-release period. After 6 months post-release, the suicide rate approaches the rate observed in custody.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0025-729X",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}