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Abstract: 

An enduring conundrum in the treatment of prisoners with mental illness is that the more often that an inmate threatens suicide without actually attempting it, the less credible the event seems—and yet, that leads to the dangerous conclusion that the more frequent the threat, the lower the subjective assessment of risk. This article analyzes two cases that illustrate the paradox of suicide ideation, both alleging deliberate indifference in cases where the risk was not deemed serious by mental health staff. In such cases, clinicians who keep good notes, and record the conditions and observations that support a judgment as to risk will find a far more favorable outcome should the case reach trial.

Keywords: Boyce v. Gray , No. 13 C 2967; Goetsch v. Ley , 444 Fed.Appx. 85, 88-89

Affiliations:  1: Executive Editor.