Sudden Deaths in Police Custody (and Other Detention Facilities) – Analysis of Causes and the Need for Prevention
Editor(s)
Elger, Bernice S.; Ritter, Catherine; Stöver, Heino
Book title
Emerging Issues in Prison Health
Publisher
Springer
Place of publication
Dordrecht
Pages
55-66
ISSN/ISBN
978-94-017-7556-4 ; 978-94-017-7558-8
Keywords
Sudden Death, Prison, Police Custody
Abstract
When a suspect or delinquent is taken into custody, the custodian (state authority) has to ensure, that custody is safe for the detainee and fulfills human rights standards. Nevertheless, (sudden) deaths in custody occur, that provoke questions and/or allegations towards the custodian. In these cases, independent (medico-legal) investigations are essential to clarify the circumstances of death and to identify risk-factors that can be considered in prevention campaigns.
