Alarming Increase in SUICIDES Recorded in Arkansas Prisons for 2024: Report

Little Rock, Arkansas- Overcrowded and understaffed Arkansas prisons are dealing with another critical issue: inmate suicide rates.

Former Arkansas Department of Corrections Secretary Joe Profiri originally requested research on mental health issues and suicide rates in state prisons. According to the report presented to the board last week, the rate of these deaths in jails has increased dramatically this year compared to the previous year.

According to the data, six convicts in Arkansas prisons committed suicide since the beginning of 2024. While this may appear to be a low amount when compared to total inmate populations, consider last year’s total of eight inmate suicides over a year.

The survey also finds that every inmate who committed suicide this year sought mental health treatment at least once, with the majority doing so within a week of their deaths. Furthermore, it demonstrates that the mental health staff provided worksheets to these offenders but no actual treatment or counseling.

Sen. Ben Gilmore (R-Crossett) focused on mental health issues in state facilities when he supported the Protect Arkansas Act. The bill now establishes a new post within the Department of Corrections to employ more evidence-based practices. The measure also establishes a task force on recidivism, which will convene on a regular basis to debate future legislation.

State Sen. Clarke Tucker (D-Little Rock) voted against the proposal in the 2023 session, stating that he believed the solution to jail overpopulation was more mental health care and intervention rather than more prison beds. Tucker said on Tuesday that he feels the bill still has some beneficial components, and that the task group is a start in the right way.

Tucker went on to say that it is important to treat mental health issues in general, not only suicide prevention, for the good of everyone.

“Over 90% of them are going to get out and reenter society one day,” Tucker stated. “When they get out we need them to be in stable conditions so they can re-enter safely for their own sake and our sake as well.” Prison fatalities investigation shows pervasive blunders and failures in the latest indicator of a problem in federal prisons.
Secretary Lindsay Wallace, who is now working on methods to remedy the challenges, issued the following statement:

In-custody suicides are on the rise across the country, including in Arkansas. We want to reverse that trend. To do that, we must be deliberate in how we address the mental health needs of our inmate population. Dr. Bratton’s suicide study reinforced that the services we provide need improvement. We are examining policies,  procedures, and training for our staff to address the deficiencies noted. This is and will continue to be an ongoing assessment.

The Protect Arkansas Act requires evidence-based programming and that is why this position is necessary. While we offer programming already, streamlining programming options across the DOC to become more impactful to our population is key to reducing recidivism and creating safer communities for Arkansans.”

Department of Corrections Secretary Lindsay Wallace

Late Tuesday, the Department of Corrections announced a new suspected suicide that occurred earlier that day at the East Arkansas Regional Unit. If the ongoing inquiry supports that suspicion, there will have been seven suicides among detainees this year.