Suicides in NC jails reach all-time high

21 preventable deaths occurred at the same time new regulations required jails to have suicide prevention programs, according to a new report issued by Disability Rights North Carolina (DRNC).

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — More people in NC jails died by suicide in 2020 than any other year.

21 preventable deaths occurred at the same time new regulations required jails to have suicide prevention programs, according to a new report issued by Disability Rights North Carolina (DRNC).

DRNC’s findings demonstrate that every year, NC’s jails get more dangerous, especially for p

eople with disabilities.

This is the fourth report DRNC has issued to draw attention to the alarming increases in suicide deaths. The scope of this report is broader than previous reports, however, looking not just at suicides but also death by overdose and those occurring because of inadequate access to medical care.

Fifty-six people died due to suicide, illness, or injury, an unacceptably high number. Thirty-two of these deaths were from suicide or substance use related, including overdose and withdrawal.

This number is up from 30 deaths in 2019, and 22 in 2018. It is also significant that this steady increase of deaths in 2020 took place at the same time some jails took steps to decrease their overall jail populations due to the pandemic.

“This report demonstrates North Carolina needs more stringent oversight of our jails. That the number of deaths by suicide actually increased during the same year jails were required to put in place suicide prevention programs should be an emergency wake up call to legislators, sheriffs, jail administrators, and our communities,” said Susan H. Pollitt, Criminal Justice Supervising Attorney. “By my review of media accounts and obituaries, these 21 people left behind at least 18 kids and six grandchildren. These families will carry these losses with them for the rest of their lives.”

NC jails house some of the most vulnerable people in society, including those with acute mental health and substance use disorders. In large part due to NC’s abject failure to invest in community mental health services, many people end up in crisis and are brought to jail rather than proper care facilities.

Despite a needlessly large jail population, DRNC’s urgent appeals for sheriffs and legislators to improve mental health and substance use services have gone largely unheeded – with devastating consequences.

DRNC issued five recommendations that are detailed in the report:

• Require effective, system-wide suicide prevention measures in NC jails
• Provide adequate medical care for incarcerated people
• Pass legislation to provide more transparency about the conditions in NC jails
• Adequately fund the jail regulation unit at the NC Division of Heath Service Regulation
• Engage in community Stepping Up campaigns