Justice Department implements reforms to prevent suicides in federal custody

In an effort to combat a troubling trend of suicides within federal prisons and jails, the United States Department of Justice unveiled a series of comprehensive reforms aimed at overhauling mental health care in these institutions on December 2, 2024. This announcement, made by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, was outlined in a detailed memo and report. The Justice Department's reforms include updating suicide prevention protocols, improving mental health assessments for inmates, and adopting strategies that rely on data to reduce the incidence of deaths in custody. These measures are set to apply not only to facilities controlled by the Bureau of Prisons but also to those managed by the U.S. Marshals Service, reflecting a broader initiative to address systemic issues across the federal detention system. The backdrop to these reforms is a concerning rise in suicides and the systemic failures within the federal prison system. The announcement followed heightened scrutiny of the federal prison conditions, which were highlighted in a scathing report from the Justice Department's inspector general. This report pointed to numerous lapses in care and supervision that have led to inmate deaths over the years, including the infamous case of financier Jeffrey Epstein's death in 2019. In response to these issues, Monaco has been actively advocating for significant changes, holding regular meetings with agency officials to address the shortcomings in one of the federal government's most problematic areas. Monaco emphasized the need for the department to "strive to avert every preventable death" of individuals in its custody. Consequently, the newly released memo makes it clear that those detained by the U.S. Marshals Service or the Federal Bureau of Prisons must receive prompt mental health assessments, along with timely access to potentially life-saving mental health services. The approach taken by the Justice Department aims to foster a culture of safety and provide a comprehensive toolkit to reduce the risk of suicide and self-directed violence among inmates as well as staff members. Overall, the reforms represent a decisive step by the Justice Department in addressing the health and safety issues plaguing the detention system and aim to establish a framework that could save lives moving forward. These measures were crafted with input from various experts and stakeholders within the department's litigation, law enforcement, and policy divisions. In making this commitment, the Justice Department aims to reform the prisons and jails into safer environments conducive to mental health and rehabilitation, ultimately reducing the ongoing crisis of suicides behind bars.