A profile of deaths in custody in Victoria, 1991-96

In Victoria, all deaths in custody are investigated and a coronial inquest is held. The findings are entered into a data base held at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine. Utilizing this data base, all listed cases of deaths in custody during the 6-year period, January 1991-December 1996, were reviewed. The deceased's age, sex, cause and mechanism of death and the custodial service under which they were held at the time of death were correlated. During the 6-year period, there was a total of 96 deaths (90 male, six female) ranging in age from 15-77 years. Of all the cases, 45 occurred whilst in police custody, 30 under corrective services and 21 involved non-custodial corrections. There were 31 accidental deaths, 29 suicides, 17 natural deaths, and 18 police shootings. Excluding police shootings, 42 deaths involved the presence of drugs or alcohol, either as a direct cause of death or as a contributory factor. Drug toxicity alone was implicated in 28 deaths. Deaths from unnatural causes remains the major cause of death of persons in custody. An awareness of these causes must assist in developing mechanisms to further reduce fatalities in this setting.