New PriSUD Study: Mapping 23 Years of Suicide Risk in Norwegian Prisons

A new study from the PriSUD project, recently published in Archives of Suicide Research, provides important insights into suicide within the Norwegian correctional system. Utilizing comprehensive national registry data spanning 23 years, the study investigates the rates, timing, and specific clinical and other correlates of suicide among individuals in prison.

The findings reveal that the risk of suicide is significantly elevated during the very first week of incarceration, particularly for individuals in pretrial detention (varetekt) and those placed in high-security environments. Furthermore, the study underscores a potent link between suicide risk and severe mental illness, highlighting critical vulnerabilities that demand immediate, specialized attention.

These results provide the Norwegian correctional and health services with clear, evidence-based targets for prevention. By identifying exactly when and who is at the highest risk, the study emphasizes the urgent need for optimized mental health screening and targeted triage during the early stages of prison reception.

A special thank you goes to our co-author, Professor Lars Mehlum. His extensive expertise in suicidology and invaluable contributions throughout this project have been vital to bringing this important research to publication.