The participants were inmates who were admitted to the prison unit of a public hospital for treatment of self-inflicted wounds or who had a history of previous self-injury. The participants completed a self-administered instrument that includes asking about their intent at the time that they injured themselves. The participants were classified as self-mutilators or suicide attempters on the basis of intent. Fifteen persons reported that they had attempted to take their own lives, while 16 reported other reasons for harming themselves. Suicide was associated with adult affective disorder, while self-mutilation was associated with a history of childhood hyperactivity and a mixed dysthymia/anxiety syndrome that began in childhood or early adolescence. Findings indicated that inmate self-mutilators and suicide attempters had very different clinical presentations and histories. Findings suggested that the history of childhood hyperactivity in self-mutilators deserves further study in both correctional and noncorrectional populations. Tables and 32 references (Author abstract modified)