Incarcerating death: Mortality in U.S. state correctional facilities, 1985–1998

Abstract

Using data from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics and Census Bureau, I estimate death rates of working-age prisoners and nonprisoners by sex and race. Incarceration was more detrimental to females in comparison to their male counterparts in the period covered by this study. White male prisoners had higher death rates than white males who were not in prison. Black male prisoners, however consistently exhibited lower death rates than black male nonprisoners did. Additionally, the findings indicate that while the relative difference in mortality levels of white and black males was quite high outside ofprison, it essentially disappeared in prison. Notably, removing deaths caused by firearms and motor vehicles in the nonprison population accounted for some of the mortality differential between black prisoners and nonprisoners. The death rates of the other groups analyzed suggest that prison is an unhealthy environment; yet, prison appears to be a healthier place than the typical environment of the nonincarcerated black male population. These findings suggest that firearms and motor vehicle accidents do not sufficiently explain the higher death rates of black males, and they indicate that a lack of basic healthcare may be implicated in the death rates of black males not incarcerated.

Mortality among white, black, and Hispanic male and female state prisoners, 2001–2009

“…Some, although certainly not all, of this research has compared the mortality risks of prisoners to individuals in the general population, finding consistent evidence of a mortality advantage for black male prisoners and somewhat less consistent evidence of a mortality advantage for black female prisoners and white male and female prisoners (Noonan, 2012, Patterson, 2010, Rosen et al, 2011, Spaulding et al, 2011). …”

“…First, most inmates enjoy a mortality advantage over same-sex and same-race/ethnicity individuals in the general population, with the advantage largest for black males, a group which represents roughly 2 in 5 of deaths among state prisoners according to Table 1 (Patterson, 2010). Second, the one group of prisoners that does not enjoy a statistically significant mortality advantage is Hispanic females, a group which represents roughly 1 in 200 deaths among state prisoners according to Table 1.…”

“…On any given day, 1.5 million Americans are imprisoned (Carson & Golinelli, 2013), prompting interest in the health and wellbeing of prisoners (Binswanger et al, 2009, Mumola, 2007, Noonan, 2012, Patterson, 2010, Rosen et al, 2011, Schnittker and John, 2007, Spaulding et al, 2011, Wilper et al, 2009, Fazel and Baillargeon, 2011). Some, although certainly not all, of this research has compared the mortality risks of prisoners to individuals in the general population, finding consistent evidence of a mortality advantage for black male prisoners and somewhat less consistent evidence of a mortality advantage for black female prisoners and white male and female prisoners (Noonan, 2012, Patterson, 2010, Rosen et al, 2011, Spaulding et al, 2011).…”

Paternal Incarceration and the Housing Security of Urban Mothers

“…They are disproportionately young; predominantly members of racial/ethnic minority groups, and have low levels of education (Pew Center on the States, 2008); and would likely face challenges in the labor market even in the absence of their incarceration, limiting their financial contributions to their families. Many men who become incarcerated also face challenges related to substance use (Drucker, 2011), mental health (Drucker, 2011), physical health (Curtis, 2011; Patterson, 2010), and impulse control (Farrington, 1998; Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990), which have the potential to both limit their earnings and destabilize their family relationships (Western, 2006). Furthermore, to the extent that women partner with men who are demographically and socioecomically similar (Vanyukov, Neale, Moss, & Tarter, 1996), those with incarcerated spouses and partners are likely to be vulnerable in the housing market as well.…”

State-level variation in the imprisonment-mortality relationship, 2001−2010

“…This insight was driven in part by how imprisonment shapes mortality. While imprisoned males, especially nonHispanic black imprisoned males, die at significantly lower rates than males in the general population, former prisoners die at very high rates (Binswanger et al 2007;Mumola 2007;Noonan 2013;Patterson 2010;Spaulding et al 2011;Rosen, Schoenbach, and Wohl 2008;Rosen, Wohl, and Schoenbach 2011).…”