Increased number of deaths among recently released prisoners

January 01, 0001

Increased number of deaths among recently released prisoners

The aim of this study by researchers from Australia was to estimate the number of deaths among people released from prison in Australia in the 2007-08 financial year, within 4 weeks and 1 year of release. Application of crude mortality rates for ex-prisoners (obtained from two independent, state-based record-linkage studies in New South Wales and Western Australia) to a national estimate of the number and characteristics of people released from prison in 2007-08 were used.

It was estimated that among people released from prison in 2007-08, between 449 and 472 died within 1 year of release. Of these, between 68 and 138 died within 4 weeks of release. Most of these deaths were not drug-related.

The researchers concluded: "The estimated annual number of deaths among recently released prisoners in Australia is considerably greater than the annual number of deaths in custody, highlighting the extreme vulnerability of this population on return to the community. There is an urgent need to establish a national system for routine monitoring of ex-prisoner mortality and to continue the duty of care beyond the prison walls."

It would be interesting to know how much the bio-psycho-social life and behaviour that lead to imprisonment contributes.

For the full abstract, click here.

MJA 195(2):64-68 © The Medical Journal of Australia 2011
Counting the cost: estimating the number of deaths among recently released prisoners in Australia. Stuart A Kinner, David B Preen, Azar Kariminia et al. Correspondence to Stuart Kinner: [email protected]

Category: Keywords: deaths, released, prisoners, Australia, crude mortality rates, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by , Melbourne, Australia. Posted on Global Family Doctor 5 August 2011

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