Research and analysis

Deaths in police custody: A review of the international evidence

Provides a review of available international data and literature on deaths in or following police custody.

Documents

Deaths in police custody: A review of the international evidence

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Deaths in police custody: A review of the international evidence: data tables

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Details

The report covers extent and trends, causes of death and evidence on prevention and investigation of deaths in or following police custody. Findings include:

  • those who die in or following police custody in England and Wales are typically male, aged between 31 and 50, and from a White ethnic background
  • natural causes have been the most common known cause of deaths in police custody in England and Wales between April 2004 and March 2015.
  • providing alternatives to police custody for vulnerable individuals is a key theme in the international literature on prevention.’

Updates to this page

Published 30 October 2017

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