Seattle University Collaborative Projects - International Academy of ...

from others and accommodating him in a special safety cell. But is this the safest way? Or doesisolation even heighten suicidal tendency? Out of this idea two projects emerged in prisons ofLower Saxony and Bavaria. In one of them remand prisoners are given the opportunity to speakanonymously with a pastor over a “crisis line” during the night. In the other project “listeners” inBavaria give recent offenders with suicidal tendencies the possibility of spending the first nightunder arrest with a selected cell inmate. Both projects intend to test whether having this optionhelps to alleviate some of the emotional trouble typically experienced after initial offender intaketo prison. The next presentation will provide information about listeners. In this presentation thecrisis line will be discussed, including the background of safety measures as well as theconceptualization and realization of the project. This presentation also addresses thedevelopment of the projects and furthermore results of its evaluation.The Listener Scheme and Social Therapy for Violent Offenders: Helping “BothSides”Willi Pecher, Munich Prison, Germany (wilhelm.pecher@jva-m.bayern.de)Johannes Lohner, University of Applied Sciences Landshut (johannes.lohner@fh-landshut.de)Suicide prevention is a common need among penal institutions around the world, and Bavarianprison authorities currently focus upon this issue extensively. Traditional approaches involvingonly correctional staff in suicide prevention efforts have proven to have their limitations,especially since recent studies have shown that prisoners would rather appeal to other prisonerswith their concerns. The involvement of inmates in peer prevention efforts seems to be areasonable alternative approach. In Munich Prison, volunteer prisoners, who are participants ofthe Social Therapeutic Institution for Violent Offenders, are in service as listeners for newlyincarcerated prisoners. In this presentation we show results from a study about the effects onnewly incarcerated prisoners, discuss framework requirements of the project and a trainingprogram for later listeners. Moreover, possible therapeutic effects for the listeners, which couldbe utilized within the therapeutic process, are presented.Suicide in German and Austrian Prisons: A Chance to Change?Stefan Fuchs, Kirchberggasse, Innsbruck, Austria (stefan.fuchs@justiz.gv.at)Katharina Bennefeld-Kersten, Höhbeck, Germany (suizidforschung@gmx.de)Between 2000 and 2011 nearly 85 prisoners committed suicide in Germany each year. Thisnumber is the result of a study that is being conducted by the Criminological Services Unit of theLower State of Saxony. In Austria the average number of suicides in prisons for that period islittle more than 10. There was a reduction in these figures from 2000 to 2005, in the last coupleof years the number of suicides is increasing again.308