Shane Bauer reports on Damien Coestly, a prisoner in the private prison where Bauer worked as an undercover journalist. Coestly was considered suicidal, and later did kill himself.

It appears that the prison covers up wrongdoing and does an inadequate job of saving depressed prisoners from suicide. However, doing "suicide watch" in the "correct" manner may not be a good thing, because it is something close to brainwashing. Should we consider the practice proper care, or torture?

Damien Coestly appears to have been somewhat crazy, but when he decided to commit suicide rather than spend 20 more years in prison, should we consider that crazy, or rational and sane?