We use cookies to collect anonymous data to help us improve your site browsing experience.

Click 'Accept all cookies' to agree to all cookies that collect anonymous data. To only allow the cookies that make the site work, click 'Use essential cookies only.' Visit 'Set cookie preferences' to control specific cookies.

Set cookie preferences

Your cookie preferences have been saved. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

Publication - Statistics

Deaths in Prison Custody 2012-13 to 2022-23

Part of

Supporting documents

Introduction

This report is based on data produced by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS). SPS publish quarterly updates on their website with information on deaths that have occurred in prison custody in the most recent quarter. For the first time, this published data has been linked by the National Records of Scotland (NRS) to the Deaths Record to identify the underlying cause of death as defined by the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (10th Revision) (ICD-10). Further information about how NRS code each death, as well as background information on producing figures for deaths can be found on their website.

This report provides an overview of high-level trends in deaths in prison custody over the period 2012-13 to 2022-23.  The report presents a high-level summary of deaths in prison custody and therefore does not reflect the individual personal stories of the people involved.

In this report, the causes of deaths occurring in prison custody between 2012-13 and 2022-23 are examined. Deaths occurring in prison custody between 2012-13 and 2022-23 are also compared with deaths occurring in the general Scottish population, and the relative risk of death in prison custody is explored using standardised mortality ratios (SMRs).

The analyses presented in this report should not be taken as indicative that the risk of death changes specifically because of an individual being in prison custody. Underlying contributory or determinant factors have not been examined in this analysis.

It is important to note that the information on cause of death provided in this report may differ from the cause of death noted on the SPS website. Prior to 2019, SPS reported on the broader categories of cause of death rather than those provided by NRS. From 2019 onwards, SPS listed the cause/s of death as provided on the medical certificate cause of death (MCCD) without further classification.

The period covered by this report reflects the latest available official statistics on cause of death from NRS. The report on Deaths in Prison Custody should be viewed in the context of the prison population during the period covered by the data, and not more recent prison population figures.

Deaths in Prison Custody 2012-13 to 2022-23

(Supplementary Tables A1 to A7)

From 2012-13 to 2022-23, there were 345 deaths recorded in prison custody.

The annual number of deaths occurring in prison custody has fluctuated between 2012-13 and 2022-23, but there has been a general upward trend. Over the reporting period, the average number of deaths occurring per year is 31.4, with the lowest at 17 in 2012-13 and the highest at 48 in 2021-22. The number of deaths in prison custody was 39 in 2022-23, representing a decrease of 9 on the previous year.

Figure 1 shows the number of deaths in prison custody recorded in each financial year, 2012-13 to 2022-23.

Figure 1 presents a line chart showing all deaths in prison custody by financial year between 2012-13 and 2022-23. There is a second line from 2019-20 to 2022-23 which shows this number excluding deaths that involved covid 19. The line fluctuates year on year, but shows a general gradual increase over the time period until the peak in 2021-22. The same trend is present for the period excluding deaths involving COVID-19, however the peak is not as high. Supplementary Table A1 contains the data for this chart.

This chart shows that the highest annual figures for deaths in prison custody occurred in 2021-22 (48) and in 2020-21 (43). Both years were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Excluding deaths involving COVID-19, the number of deaths from all other causes is 40 in 2021-22 and 36 in 2020-21. Even with the exclusion of deaths involving COVID-19, 2021-22 still represents the highest number of deaths in prison custody during the period. Deaths involving COVID-19 are discussed in more detail later in this report.

Deaths in Prison Custody by Age Band

(Supplementary Tables A2 to A4)

As outlined in Scottish Prison Population and Trends, the age profile of the prison population is different to the general population.

Over the reporting period, the highest number of deaths in prison custody (49) were recorded in the age band 45-49 years. This is 11 more than the next most frequent age band of 50-54 (38). 

Figure 2 shows the number of deaths in prison custody across the period 2012-13 to 2022-23 by age band.

Figure 2 presents a bar chart which presents the age groups in which all deaths in prison custody occurred between 2012-13 and 2022-23. The age bands are presented in 5 year groups from 15 to 19, to 70 to 74. The final group contains all individuals aged over 75. The bars fluctuate in height, with the peak occurring in the 45 to 49 age band. The trend generally shows the number of deaths decreasing towards the outermost age bands. Supplementary Table A2 contains the data for this chart.

Figure 3 shows the number of deaths in prison custody in each year 2012-13 to 2022-23 by grouped age bands.

Figure 3 presents a stacked bar chart of the grouped age bands where deaths in prison custody occurred each financial year between 2012-13 and 2022-23. Ages are grouped into three groups, 34 or under, 35 to 54, and 55 or over. The trend is described in the body of the report. Supplementary Table A3 contains the data for this chart.

Looking at age bands by financial year (figure 3) shows that until 2018-19 deaths involving those aged 35 to 54 years comprised the highest number of deaths in prison custody in most years. Since 2019-20, the number of deaths in prison custody involving those aged 55+ years has increased and exceeded the number involving those aged 35-54 years (with the exception of 2021-22). The number of deaths in prison custody involving those aged under 34 has fluctuated over the reporting period.

Figure 4 shows the proportion of all deaths in prison custody in each year 2012-13 to 2022-23 by grouped age band.

Figure 4 presents a line chart showing the proportions of deaths across the time period 2012-13 and 2022-23 by grouped age band. There are three lines on the chart each representing one of the age bands Age 34 or Under, 35 to 54, and 55 and over. The trend is described in the body of the report. Supplementary Table A4 contains the data for this chart.

Looking at the proportion of deaths occurring across age band, in most years deaths involving those aged 34 years or under made up the lowest proportion of deaths occurring. Deaths involving those aged 35 to 54 years made up the largest proportion of deaths in prison custody up to and including 2018-19 (with the exception of 2015-16). The proportion of deaths in prison custody involving those aged 55 and over has increased. With the exception of 2021-22, this older age group has accounted for the greatest proportion of deaths in prison custody in each year since 2019-20.

Deaths in Prison Custody by Sex

(Supplementary Table A5)

Of the 345 deaths occurring in prison custody between 2012-13 and 2022-23, 330 involved males (around 96%), and 15 involved females (around 4%). This distribution of deaths in prison custody is broadly consistent with the distribution of the prison population over the same period. In the Scottish Prison Population Statistics (2022-23), it was reported that women comprised around 4% of the average daily prison population in 2022-23. In each financial year over the period 2012-13 to 2022-23, women comprised between 3.8% and 5.7% of the average daily prison population.

Figure 5 shows the number of deaths in prison custody in each year 2012-13 to 2022-23, by sex.

Figure 5 presents a bar chart of the number of deaths each financial year between 2012-13 and 2022-23 by sex. The chart presents a bar for each financial year for males and a second bar for females. The trend is described in the body of the report. Supplementary Table A5 contains the data for this chart.

Figure 5 shows that the majority of deaths occurring in prison custody in each year have been male. In 2022-23, 2 of the 39 deaths were female (around 5%) while males accounted for 37.

Crude death rate in prison custody

(Supplementary Tables A6 and A7)

Prison population figures from the National Statistics on the Scottish Prison Population can be used to estimate the crude rate of death in prison custody per 1,000 population. This can be based on two factors: 

  • the number of individuals that experienced imprisonment at any point during the year (Individuals) and; 
  • the average daily prison population (ADP) 

The crude rate of death per 1,000 population for individuals experiencing imprisonment in 2022-23 was 2.7 (figure 6). This represents a fall of 0.6 on 2021-22.

The crude rate of death per 1,000 population for the average daily population in 2022-23 was 5.3 (figure 7). This represents a fall of 1.1 on 2021-22.

Over the period 2012-13 to 2022-23, both the individual and the average daily population based crude rates of death have fluctuated. Overall however, both have risen over the reporting period.

Figure 6 shows the rate of death in prison custody per 1,000 population (Individuals) in each year 2012-13 to 2022-23.

Figure 6 presents a line chart of the rate of death in prison custody each financial year per 1,000 population based on a count of individuals in the prison population. The data is presented between the financial years 2012-13 and 2022-23. The trend is described in the body of the report. Supplementary table A6 contains the data for this chart.

Figure 7 shows the rate of death in prison custody per 1,000 population (ADP) in each year 2012-13 to 2022-23. 

Figure 7 presents a line chart of the rate of death in prison custody each financial year per 1,000 population based on the average daily population in the prison population. The data is presented between the financial years 2012-13 and 2022-23. The trend is described in the body of the report. Supplementary table A7 contains the data for this chart.

Across both measures, the increase in rate of death in prison custody is highest across 2020-21 and 2021-22. These are years impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. A higher number of deaths in prison custody occurred in these years, and 15 of these had COVID-19 listed as a cause of death (with a further 1 occurring in 2022-23). At the same time, across 2020-22, both the number of individuals that experienced imprisonment at any point during the year and the average daily prison population were substantially lower than pre-pandemic levels. Both factors will be contributing to the higher estimated rates of death in these years. 

While the rate of death in prison custody has decreased in 2022-23, it remains higher than the pre-pandemic period.

Back to top