Below extracts from Home Office, Research, Development and Statistics Directorate, (RDSD). On 'Deaths of offenders in prison and under community supervision'.

There are two reports:

(1) Research Findings 153 - Deaths of offenders in prison and under community supervision    http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs/r153.pdf

If you have trouble down loading, I have copies of both as pdf files, which I can email.

John O

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Deaths of offenders in prison and under community supervision

by Ghazala Sattar

Violent death among offenders under the supervision of the criminal justice authorities is a matter of serious public concern. Although studies have tended to focus on prisoners because of concern about suicides in prison, there is some evidence to suggest that offenders under community supervision may be at least as vulnerable as prisoners. This report compares the nature and extent of death among offenders in prison and offenders under community supervision (referred to as community offenders) in England and Wales in1996 and 1997.

Key points

*1,503 offenders died in 1996-1997. Of these, 1,267 were in the community and 236 in prison. Standardised mortality ratios showed that community offenders were almost four times more likely to die than the general population and prisoners were almost twice as likely to die as the general population.

*Male community offenders had higher death rates than prisoners for overall mortality, accidental death and homicide. This reflects their greater opportunity to engage in antisocial and potentially life threatening behaviour such as excessive drug taking, physical assaults and (drink-driving) related traffic accidents.

*Death rates in the two offender groups were similar for natural causes and suicide/selfinflicted deaths.

*Drugs and/or alcohol (as a main or contributing factor) accounted for a greater proportion of deaths among community offenders (46%) than prisoners (3%). Almost two-thirds of accidental deaths and around one-third of suicide/self-inflicted deaths among community offenders could be traced to drugs and/or alcohol.

*For both offender groups, natural deaths were most common among older offenders (45-54 and 55+) and violent deaths were most common among young offenders (15-24 and 25-34).

*Those ex-prisoners who died while under the post-custodial supervision of the Probation Service, tended to do so in the first few weeks after being released from prison. Over one-quarter of all deaths had occurred within four weeks of release and by 12 weeks over half of all deaths had occurred. Accidents (often involving drugs and alcohol) accounted for the largest proportion of these deaths.

Past research has identified offenders in prison to be at higher risk of death than the general community and suicide as the biggest killer of prisoners. Risk factors include being young, male, unemployed before imprisonment, mentally ill, having alcohol and drug use problems and a history of self-harming. There is evidence to suggest that the early stages of custody are a vulnerable time for prisoners.

When examining the death of offenders, comparisons are often made with the general population; however, this is not comparing 'like with like'. The prison population is disproportionately male, young, economically, physically and mentally less well off and poorly educated. It is more meaningful to compare prisoners with other types of offenders. In order to understand the additional impact being in prison has on death rates and causes, prisoners' rates can be compared with those of other offenders such as those serving community sentences and offenders who are exprisoners being supervised in the community.

There has been little research on the death of community offenders. What there is, has found that:

* community offenders also have a higher risk of death than the general population

* community offenders have a higher risk of death than prisoners

* drugs and alcohol account for a large proportion of deaths among community offenders

* offenders in their 20s and 30s have the highest risk of violent death

* around half of all deaths of community offenders are accidental and one in five is due to suicide/self-injury.

The present study This study examined the nature and extent of deaths among two groups of offenders who died in 1996 and 1997:

* prisoners - offenders serving custodial sentences in England and Wales

* community offenders - offenders serving community sentences and ex-prisoners receiving post-custodial supervision in the community in England and Wales.