2. Is the prisoner taking any medication that may increase the risk of medical emergency? 3. Age, size and weight of the prisoner 92. How the accusations that apparent suicidal hanging were in reality homicides, can usually be resolved? It could be resolved by conducting detailed autopsy showing no signs of bruising, abrasions or a struggle. It would seem impossible to hang a conscious person against his will without leaving some signs of restraint. 93. How suicides are possible in custody and how to prevent it? Suicide in custody is not uncommon, and often leads to accusations and recriminations from the relatives over lack of supervision. The prisoners should not be provided with belts, braces (suspenders), cord or even bootlaces, which could be used to hang him in his cell. In addition, the police cell may be speci ically designed to avoid any convenient suspension points, such as hooks, bars or even internal door handles. In spite of these precautions, prisoners regularly manage to ind some means of killing themselves. Strips of bedding material, sleeves of clothing and handkerchiefs have all been used for selfsuspension. Hanging can be successfully accomplished by traction on the neck at low levels and need not occur from high suspension points, so prisoners have killed themselves by attaching ligatures to bedheads, chairs and other unlikely objects in the cell. 94. Who can be sent by prison staff to mental health professional for assessment of suicide? An inmate 1. Who is intoxicated/or has a history of substance abuse or treatment for any mental illness 2. Who expresses unusually high levels of shame, guilt and worry over the arrest and imprisonment 3. Who expresses hopelessness or fear about the future or show signs of depression such as crying, lack of emotions or lack of verbal expressions MEDICAL DIMENSION OF FREQUENTLY ENCOUNTERED CASES | 66