A new report published by the Bureau of Justice Statistics on the mortality rate in U.S. jails declared that suicide was the number one cause of death among jailed inmates. The report, which studied data from 2000 - 2007, found that 8,110 inmates died during that time period. The suicide rate among jail inmates is almost three times higher than the suicide rate of inmates in prisons.
The breakdown of deaths, according to a July 14, 2010 article provided by Criminal Justice Reform, states that suicide was responsible for 29% of deaths, followed by heart disease which was the cause of death for 22% of inmates. Substance abuse deaths were found to be 7%, and dying from an AIDS related illness was 5%. Prisoner-on-prisoner homicides were at the bottom of the cause-of-death list, at 2%. JPI reported that all other types of illnesses combined contributed to the remaining 53% of deaths.
The 53% death rate from combined illnesses is a reflection on the poor medical care provided in jails, according to JPI. A new course of action directed at American jails is being demanded by members of the prison reform movement who deem the high death rate to be unacceptable and inexcusable.
Although the death rate for inmates incarcerated in jails has gone down from a high of 152 per 100,00 inmates in 2000, to a rate of 141 per 100,000 in 2007, much still needs to be done to reduce the death rate even further. Improved access to adequate medical services, releasing chronically or terminally ill non-violent offenders early, alternatives to incarceration for the seriously, or chronically ill non-violent offender, increasing substance abuse programs and screening for depression and other mental illnesses are some of the changes which experts suggest can reduce the death rate.
During the Justice Department study, in any given year, 80% of U.S. jails reported no deaths in their facilities. Whether this number does not include those inmates pronounced dead in an ambulance or at a medical center is unclear. Some prisons are reluctant to declare a prisoner dead on prison property because of reporting and investigation requirements.
Interestingly, the highest rate of inmate suicides were found to be at facilities with an inmate population of 50 or less. These high suicide rates in small jails may be due to a shortage of staff and the lack of security devices such as cell block cameras. Poor staff training and screening processes may also account for the of the deaths. The eye-opening Justice Statistics report on mortality rates in jails is expected to raise questions about oversight . Criminal justice advocates are hoping that changes will soon be made to significantly reduce jail deaths.
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