Deaths in custody in the Irish prison service: 5-year retrospective study of drug toxicology and unnatural deaths
Mental health and substance misuse disorders are associated with unnatural deaths in prisoners. Deaths in Irish prisons between 2009 and 2014 were retrospectively analysed using coroner's findings, including post-mortem toxicology. There were 69 deaths in custody, 38 of which met inclusion crit...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2018-09-01
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| Series: | BJPsych Open |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472418000534/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1811157107329728512 |
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| author | Madeeha Iqtidar Kapil Sharma Ronan Mullaney Enda Kelly Mary Keevans Myra Cullinane Harry Kennedy Damian Mohan |
| author_facet | Madeeha Iqtidar Kapil Sharma Ronan Mullaney Enda Kelly Mary Keevans Myra Cullinane Harry Kennedy Damian Mohan |
| author_sort | Madeeha Iqtidar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mental health and substance misuse disorders are associated with unnatural deaths in prisoners. Deaths in Irish prisons between 2009 and 2014 were retrospectively analysed using coroner's findings, including post-mortem toxicology. There were 69 deaths in custody, 38 of which met inclusion criteria. All deaths by overdose (16) were positive for illicit drugs; 53% of deaths (8 of 15) due to hanging were also positive for illicit drugs, and 29% of deaths (2 of 7) from other causes were toxicology positive. In conclusion, 26 unnatural deaths (68%) were associated with use of illicit drugs, which are a major contributory factor to deaths of prisoners. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:00:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9bc24adebf624a95b928a15ae2b815bb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2056-4724 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:00:30Z |
| publishDate | 2018-09-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BJPsych Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-9bc24adebf624a95b928a15ae2b815bb2023-03-09T12:28:47ZengCambridge University PressBJPsych Open2056-47242018-09-01440140310.1192/bjo.2018.53Deaths in custody in the Irish prison service: 5-year retrospective study of drug toxicology and unnatural deathsMadeeha Iqtidar0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3704-3421Kapil Sharma1Ronan Mullaney2Enda Kelly3Mary Keevans4Myra Cullinane5Harry Kennedy6Damian Mohan7Senior Registrar, National Forensic Mental Health Service, Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum, IrelandSenior Registrar, National Forensic Mental Health Service, Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum and Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin, IrelandSenior Registrar, National Forensic Mental Health Service, Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum, IrelandNational Operational Nurse Manager, Mountjoy Prison, IrelandComplex Nurse Manager, Mountjoy Prison and Irish Prison Service, IrelandDublin District Coroner, Department of Justice and Equality, IrelandSenior Registrar, National Forensic Mental Health Service, Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum and Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin, IrelandSenior Registrar, National Forensic Mental Health Service, Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum and Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin, IrelandMental health and substance misuse disorders are associated with unnatural deaths in prisoners. Deaths in Irish prisons between 2009 and 2014 were retrospectively analysed using coroner's findings, including post-mortem toxicology. There were 69 deaths in custody, 38 of which met inclusion criteria. All deaths by overdose (16) were positive for illicit drugs; 53% of deaths (8 of 15) due to hanging were also positive for illicit drugs, and 29% of deaths (2 of 7) from other causes were toxicology positive. In conclusion, 26 unnatural deaths (68%) were associated with use of illicit drugs, which are a major contributory factor to deaths of prisoners.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472418000534/type/journal_articleDeaths in prisonsalcohol misusesubstance misusedeaths in custody |
| spellingShingle | Madeeha Iqtidar Kapil Sharma Ronan Mullaney Enda Kelly Mary Keevans Myra Cullinane Harry Kennedy Damian Mohan Deaths in custody in the Irish prison service: 5-year retrospective study of drug toxicology and unnatural deaths BJPsych Open Deaths in prisons alcohol misuse substance misuse deaths in custody |
| title | Deaths in custody in the Irish prison service: 5-year retrospective study of drug toxicology and unnatural deaths |
| title_full | Deaths in custody in the Irish prison service: 5-year retrospective study of drug toxicology and unnatural deaths |
| title_fullStr | Deaths in custody in the Irish prison service: 5-year retrospective study of drug toxicology and unnatural deaths |
| title_full_unstemmed | Deaths in custody in the Irish prison service: 5-year retrospective study of drug toxicology and unnatural deaths |
| title_short | Deaths in custody in the Irish prison service: 5-year retrospective study of drug toxicology and unnatural deaths |
| title_sort | deaths in custody in the irish prison service 5 year retrospective study of drug toxicology and unnatural deaths |
| topic | Deaths in prisons alcohol misuse substance misuse deaths in custody |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472418000534/type/journal_article |
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