Fatal accident inquiries into 83 deaths in Scottish prison custody: 2010–2013

BACKGROUND: The only non-legal reference in Lord Cullen's Review of fatal accident inquiry (FAI) Legislation in Scotland (2009) was my audit of FAIs into 97 deaths in prison custody in Scotland, 1999–2003: recommending that waiting time from prisoner death to end of FAI should be less than 1 year for 90% of FAIs, and epidemiological rules for FAIs to have a written determination versus formal findings. AIMS: Audit of FAIs into 83 deaths in Scottish prison custody in the period 2010–2013. METHOD: Assessement of waiting times from prisoner death to end of FAI; dissemination of written determinations; self-inflicted death rate per 1000 prisoner-years; cause of natural deaths; and yellow card submissions. Detailed cross-checking was nec37essary between Scottish Prison Service and courts’ websites and the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit. RESULTS: Of 83 FAIs into deaths in Scottish prison custody, 2010–2013, 37 (45%) were long-awaited (ongoing >2 years after the prisoner's death); 16 (19%, 95% CI 11–28%) beyond 3 years. Of 37 long-awaited FAIs, 27 made written determinations but only 12 of these (44%) were published. Self-inflicted deaths numbered 36: 1.1 per 1000 prisoner-years (95% CI 0.75–1.48). Of 47 deaths from natural causes, cardiovascular disease accounted for 23 (49%, 95% CI 34–63%); liver disease was implicated in 10 of 47. To support pharmacovigilance, submissions were made to Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency for eight deaths (10%, 95% CI 4–19%). CONCLUSIONS: FAIs into prisoner deaths in Scotland are too long-awaited given that four (5%) identified precautions that could have prevented death.