Improving the quality of prison research: A qualitative study of ex‐offender service user involvement in prison suicide prevention research

摘要

BackgroundSuicide is the leading cause of avoidable death in prisons worldwide and suicide prevention is an international priority. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop evidence‐based treatments. We conducted a randomized controlled trial of a novel suicide prevention psychological therapy for male prisoners. To promote ecological validity by addressing the “real‐world” situation of suicidal prisoners, we involved a consultant group of ex‐offenders with past experience of being suicidal during imprisonment. Service user involvement in prison research is challenging and underdeveloped.