With 8,050 inmate deaths recorded in Texas prisons from 2001 via 2019, the Lone Star State has among the many nation’s highest mortality charges amongst its incarcerated inhabitants, in keeping with a brand new examine.
Texas skilled the seventh-highest jail mortality charge within the U.S. throughout that timeframe, in keeping with the examine, carried out by the Connecticut Trial Agency, which makes a speciality of personal-injury regulation. Researchers discovered that 26.4 individuals died in Texas whereas incarcerated per 100,000 state residents,
Louisiana took the No. 1 spot with 42.7 lifeless inmates per 100,000 residents, whereas North Dakota had the bottom charge of inmate deaths per capita with solely 2.7 per 100,000.
Researchers used information from the Bureau of Justice Statistics to compile the examine.
“Monitoring jail mortality charges is essential for upholding human rights requirements,” Connecticut Trial Agency lawyer Ryan Eager mentioned in a press release. “Inspecting patterns and causes of jail deaths allows authorities to implement preventative measures. Whether or not it includes addressing psychological well being points, bettering sanitation or enhancing security protocols, understanding the basis causes or mortality permits for focused interventions to mitigate dangers and save lives.”
Attributed to 2,039 deaths, most cancers was the main reason for dying in Texas prisons in the course of the examine interval. Coronary heart illness got here in at an in depth second with 2,015 deaths.
Nevertheless, the examine did not embody the variety of heat-related deaths tallied in Texas prisons.
Final yr alone, throughout one of many hottest summers on document, at the very least 41 inmates died in Lone Star State lockups as a result of heat-related sickness, in keeping with the Texas Tribune.
Solely 30% of all Texas state prisons have air-con, in keeping with the Related Press. Throughout final summer season’s warmth wave, Democratic politicians, civil-rights advocates and households of the incarcerated urged the Texas Division of Prison Justice to finish “inhumane” therapy of inmates throughout sweltering summer season months.
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