This used to be my job but in a different state with different rules. It was common that the incarcerated would fabricate symptoms of self-harm/imminence of self-harm in order to avoid being in jail. It was considered much more comfortable to lay up in bed at a psych ward getting better food, watching TV, and milling about than being confined in a freezing cold jail cell. They could avoid a week or two of their time this way, until they "stabilized". My job was to weed out the bullshitters (99.99%) of them. If they were fabricating/malingering, the institution has other ways to ensure the person can't hurt themselves, like a suicide smock, removing everything from the room, posting 1:1 security. (Another reason why Epstein didn't kill himself). His lawyer probably advised him to do this hence his outburst at sentencing and the jail probably didn't want to deal with a high-profile asshole so they took the path of least resistance. He also gets bonus victimization points and is trying to stir up outrage with his fellow blacks.