Feds see a
problem in Hawaii
prisoner suicides

More training suggested
for corrections staffs

By Gregg K. Kakesako
Star-Bulletin

Hawaii's correctional, medical and mental health staff members need more intensive training in suicide prevention methods, according to a U.S. Justice Department official.

Lindsay Hayes, assistant director of the National Center on Institutions and Alternatives, was asked by Department of Public Safety head Ted Sakai to review his agency's suicide prevention practices after four inmate suicides within a one-month period this year.

All four committed suicide by hanging themselves. The deaths occurred between Jan. 25 and Feb. 24.

Dale Webster died Jan. 25 at Maui Community Correctional Facility.

Farrington Governor Santos died Feb. 11 at the Oahu Community Correctional Center.

Entertainer Bryant Mackey Feary died Feb. 20 at Halawa Correctional Facility.

And Michael Espindola died Feb. 24 at Halawa.

Hayes found that the rate of suicide in Hawaii's eight correctional facilities falls between the national rates of prison and jail suicides.

A national survey of prison suicides in 1995 calculated a 10-year suicide rate of 20.6 suicides per 100,000 prison inmates, while a national study of jail suicides of pre-trial detainees in 1988 came up with a suicide rate of 107 suicides per 100,000 county jail inmates.

Hawaii is one of only seven states that operate a dual system housing both pretrial and sentenced inmates.

Between 1989 and 1998, Hawaii recorded 15 inmate suicides, resulting in a suicide rate of 67.4 suicides per 100,000 inmates.

Currently, all correctional staff receive 2.5 hours of instruction on suicide detection and prevention and four hours on mental health issues when they are first hired.

With a few exceptions, suicide prevention training is not held on "a consistent and annual basis" now, the Hayes report said.

The Justice Department consultant said that's inadequate and recommended that all correctional, medical and mental health staff receive eight hours of initial suicide prevention training plus two hours of training annually.

Hayes also toured four correctional facilities -- Oahu Community Correctional Center, Maui Community Correctional Center, Women's Community, and Halawa Correctional Facility -- and inspected the areas that house suicidal inmates. Only the recently renovated women's facility in Kailua was judged adequate.

Except for WCCC, the other units "contain numerous protrusions that are conducive to an inmate attempting suicide by hanging,or impede observation," among them accessible vents and window bars.

Mesh vents and exposed window bars were used by the four inmates who hanged themselves this year.