Sifter

One might assume that getting stuck with a shiv is the leading cause of death (exluding natural causes) for the incarcerated. Wrong. It’s actually hanging/strangulation (28.8 percent). This tidbit, along with statistics on age, race and location, is included in the California Attorney General’s recent death-in-custody report*, which looks at death of arrestees in law-enforcement custody statewide from 1994 to 2003.

Number of in-custody deaths between 1994-2003: 4,506

Average number of in-custody deaths reported per year: 550

Highest percent increase of in-custody deaths: 14.8 in 2001

In 2003:

Inmate population at state-supervised facilities 161,785

Percentage of deaths ocurring in prison 55

Percentage of deaths ocurring in county jails 22.2

Percentage of deaths ocurring in a squad car, street or residence 15.7

Percentage of deaths from natural causes 61.9

Percentage of deaths from firearms 22.4

Percentage of non-natural deaths from drug overdose 20.1

Percentage of non-natural deaths from vehicle/explosive 19.6

Percentage of non-natural deaths from knife 4.6

Percentage of non-natural deaths from club/hands/fists/feet 4.6

Percentage of Caucasian deaths (most likely cause: hanging/strangulation) 43.1

Percentage of Black deaths (most likely cause: vehicle/explosive) 27.8

Percentage of Hispanic deaths (most likely cause: hanging/strangulation) 23.1

*View the entire report at: http://ag.ca.gov/cjsc/publications/misc/DINCoutlook.pdf