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Deaths in Custody

An illustration shows a bar graph with bars of varying heights. Leaning at the base of some of the individual bars are figures of people dressed in teal-colored jumpsuits. The bars and the people cast shadows at an angle on the ground.
Feature August 7
How We Analyzed the Justice Department’s Death in Custody Data
A rare look into data collected under the Death in Custody Reporting Act revealed serious problems.
By and
An illustration shows a spreadsheet, where the cells contain small drawn figures of people in teal-colored jumpsuits in different poses (sitting, standing, leaning). On the right is a menu of options: Cut, Copy, Paste and Delete Cell. Delete Cell is highlighted.
Feature August 7
Why Doesn’t the U.S. Government Know How Many People Die in Custody?
Under the Death in Custody Reporting Act, the government is supposed to track how many people die in law enforcement custody — but the data is a mess.
By , and
An illustration shows a maze made up of teal blue lines, on a black background. Interspersed in the maze are nine simplified figures of people of different genders and ages. In the center of the maze is a white speech bubble.
Get Involved August 6
After a Death Behind Bars, Families Struggle for Answers. This Guide Can Help.
Learn what questions to ask prison or jail officials, how to request key records and what to consider if you’re thinking about legal action.
By
A Black woman in a blouse with ruffled sleeves stands with her back to the camera facing a gravestone that has a vase of flowers set upon it.
Feature August 6
Who Answers for a Death in Custody?
A Houston mother is one of many nationwide left with grief and unanswered questions when a loved one dies behind bars.
By , and
[Use this form](https://airtable.com/appR7SW9BhPZGdXp9/pagoMplkqm6bNwKLQ/form) to tell us about your experience when someone died in custody.
Get Involved April 10
Did Your Family Member Die in Prison or Jail? What Happened Next?
Your insights help inform The Marshall Project’s reporting on what families go through when someone dies in custody.
By The Marshall Project
An illustration shows a silhouette of a person sitting down, in a mix of colors. Outlines of sitting people with bent posture surround the silhouette against a black background.
Life Inside March 28
Anatomy of a Prison Death
It’s stressful when anyone dies on your wing, especially when no one ever tells you what happened.
By Thomas Koskovich
An illustration depicts two correctional officers dressed in gray shirts and black pants standing in front of a beige wall with barred windows high above them. At a distance in shadows lies the body of an incarcerated person wearing an teal prison jumpsuit crumpled on the floor.
Investigate This January 31
Journalists: How to Report on Deaths in Jails and Prisons
When you get a tip about a death or multiple deaths in your local jail or prison, there are concrete steps you can take to start investigating.
By , and
A photo illustration with a black and white photograph of the exterior of a prison in the background with red rectangles overlaying it. In the middle is a semi-circle with the typewritten text from several phrases, including “tortured for 18 hours with an..” and “I began to feel a sharp pain on the left side of my chest.” Below the text is a photo of an officer's hands on the wrist of a man in handcuffs.
Feature December 17, 2024
Dozens of Prisoners Allege a Culture of Violence by Guards at Federal Facility in Virginia
In lawsuits and interviews, people held at Lee penitentiary described correctional officers breaking teeth, fracturing ribs and using the N-word.
By
A White person, wearing sunglasses, a green bandana mask and black shirt, holds a poster with the black-and-white image of Elijah McClain, a Black man wearing glasses and a plaid button-up shirt. The poster also reads, "Black Lives Matter. #JusticeForElijahMcClain." There are more protesters marching in the background.
Closing Argument June 15, 2024
More States Restricting ‘Excited Delirium’ as Cause of Death in Police Custody
Authorities use the term to describe the condition of some people who die. But some medical organizations say it’s useless or racist pseudoscience.
By
A man in orange prison shorts is being restrained by three officers in a prison cell.
Feature February 15, 2024
5 Takeaways From Our Investigation Into Police Use of Spit Hoods
Reporting by The Marshall Project and WTSP in Tampa examined how police continue using the hoods, even as deaths raise troubling questions.
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