Sheriff says Bannock County worst in nation for suicide

“For a year, we averaged an attempt, suicide, every day,” Bannock County Sheriff Lorin Nielsen said.

Nielsen has seen issues with suicide in Idaho, inside and out of its correctional facilities. Nielsen recently spoke to the new Bannock County coroner, Ely Taysom, and learned something shocking.

“Idaho is the number one state in the country for suicides per capita, and Bannock County is the number one county,” Nielsen said. “So that makes us the number one county in the country.”

CDC numbers show that Idaho was 6th in the nation in 2017, with a suicide death rate of 23.2.

But suicides inside the state’s correctional facilities are also a big issue.

“What’s more depressing than to be put in jail, whether it be a DUI or something higher, your life is gonna change,” Nielsen said. “If you’re prone to depression in the first place, that is going to be an issue.”

In Nielsen’s more than 30 years in Bannock County, the number of successful suicide attempts by inmates might be lower than you’d think.

“It’s below 15, total…But attempts, yeah, quite a few,” he said.

It was recently announced that the Idaho Department of Corrections would be taking steps to further prevention by developing a partnership with the Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline. A system that’s already in places like Ada County is something that Nielsen would be excited to see statewide.

“It’s gotta start with the state, cause it’s gotta be statewide,” he said. “We need to take a good hard look at our mental health. It is a disease, it’s not a matter of buck up, it’s not a matter of sing a song.”

It’s an issue that gets more and more attention all the time. Even Governor Brad little addressed additional funding for suicide prevention during his state of the state address. Now, in addition to all the awareness and information, Nielsen believes that a difference in public’s views on criminals will also bring about change.

“It’s, you made a mistake, you need to be accountable for that mistake, but we want you better so that when you get out you don’t repeat it,” Nielsen explained. “We have the tendency, apparently, that suicide is the answer, and it’s never the answer. Every person and human is important.”