When No One Is Watching: Preventing Suicide and Avoiding Lawsuits: Insights from a Correctional Expert of 25 Years

Suicide is the leading cause of death in U.S. jails--and a major driver of costly, high-stakes litigation. In this practical and unflinching guide, psychiatrist and correctional expert Anasseril E. Daniel, MD, distills more than five decades of clinical experience and twenty-five years inside correctional systems to show how tragedies happen--and how to stop them. Drawing on forty real cases and fifteen landmark court decisions, Dr. Daniel explains the most common failures that lead to suicide and lawsuits: missed risk factors, unsafe housing, weak communication, and inadequate training. He introduces an innovative case law-based training approach that complements traditional methods to prepare staff for real-world risks. Actionable and deeply informed, When No One Is Watching is a call to protect lives, reduce liability, and create a culture of safety in corrections.