In the U.K., where there's a problem with suicidal prison inmates, guards will now be given knives, which they're expected to use to cut people down when they try to hang themselves. This solution came as a result of the discovery that 90 percent of inmates that attempt suicide do so by hanging. The knives aren't really knives; they're more like scythes designed to cut through rope and fabric. Sounds kind of like a fishing gaff or something. While I appreciate the effort to pay attention to this issue, maybe they should be asking why so many of their inmates are suicidal, and deal with that.

Prison issue knives to officers to cut suicide rate

[Don't use the knife in this photo if you're planning to cut a noose. It's good for newsprint, though.]