A Longitudinal Approach to Examining Deaths in Correctional Facilities

This BJS visiting fellow will focus on using the Deaths in Custody Reporting data collection program to expand research on mortality in jails and prisons. Dr. Binswanger will use her expertise in correctional health, epidemiologic methods and longitudinal study design, to answer the following questions: (1) What are the rates of death among incarcerated individuals for acute versus chronic medical conditions, and how does this vary by age, sex, and race?; (2) What is the relationship between time trends in mortality and time served in prison/jail?; (3) Adjusting for demographic differences, how do incarcerated individuals compare to the general population in terms of rates of death for leading medical causes?; and (4) Are there racial and/or ethnic differences in the rates of death from medical causes among prison/jail inmates, or do other demographic factors demonstrate larger differences that the racial/ethnic divide?

Dr. Binswanger has proposed combining DCRP with other BJS and external data sources (including CDC Wonder and the National Death Index), to expand the analytical capabilities of the DCRP. During her fellowship, she will assess the possibility and appropriateness of linking DCRP with other datasets. CA/NCF