The characteristics of these suicides were compared to the existing literature on prison suicides in other jurisdictions. Nineteen suicides occurred during this period: 14 at the Kentucky State Penitentiary and 5 at the Kentucky State Reformatory. Most occurred in special housing units (79 percent), by hanging (84 percent), and between midnight and 7:00 am (63 percent). The victims were white males (90 percent), approximately 29 years old, who had been convicted of violent (63 percent) or property (42 percent) crimes. The only difference in general characteristics between the victims and the overall institutional population was that the victims had a high rate of identified histories of mental problems and one or more suicide attempts (53 percent). This is comparable to other studies on victims of prison suicides. Specific factors conducive to suicide included: (1) inadequate or unavailable psychological services, (2) poor communication among staff, (3) limited staff training in suicide prevention, and (4) the perception of self-injurious behavior as a means of manipulation. Recommendations for preventive measures include: (1) improved psychological services, (2) better communication and training of staff, and (3) more thorough investigation following a suicide. 9 references.