Los Angeles, California had a notably deadly year in 2023, with 45 people dying in custody. The county’s jails reported at least nine drug-related deaths, three suicides, three homicides, one hypothermia-related death, and several cases with undetermined causes. However, Los Angeles stands out from other municipalities in that it reports jail deaths, unlike many other areas where such information is not readily available to the public.
In their 2023 book, “Death in Custody: How America Ignores the Truth and What We Can Do About It,” Jay D. Aronson and Dr. Roger A. Mitchell delve into the lack of comprehensive data on jail and prison deaths as a national issue. They emphasize the absence of systematic data collection about deaths in custody, highlighting the national problem of not knowing exactly how many people die in jails and prisons each year. Furthermore, the authors reveal how a lack of data impacts the development of comprehensive prevention strategies.
The authors discuss the decline in collecting data following the issuance of a penalty for law enforcement agencies that did not provide information on deaths in custody, leading to significant gaps in federal statistics. They also shed light on the resistance to sending this vital information to the federal government, attributing it to society’s general disregard for individuals in jails and prisons. The authors highlight the need for a societal shift in how the public perceives those in the criminal legal system, advocating for the recognition of the humanity of incarcerated individuals.
Furthermore, the book’s co-authors point out that California’s outdated sheriff-coroner system is behind other states in handling in-custody deaths. They emphasize the need for California to transition away from the sheriff-coroner system, which has inherent conflicts of interest, as demonstrated by a recent incident in San Joaquin County. Additionally, they stress the significance of understanding the historical context of harsh jail conditions and deaths in custody, highlighting the importance of tracking such data for broader systemic implications.
Aronson and Mitchell advocate for the systematic collection of data on deaths in custody as a means of addressing the tremendous suffering and abuse within the criminal legal system. They emphasize the vital role of the federal government in collecting comprehensive data across the country to intervene and address this national problem.