Rising deaths in LA County Jail are tied to longer stays, study shows
The effects of stress, depression and inadequate health care in the Los Angeles County Jail—a blanket term widely used for the county's eight facilities—build up into lethal risk, a new study led by UCLA researchers has found.
A recent UCLA study reveals that rising deaths in Los Angeles County Jail are linked to longer incarceration periods, contradicting the belief that most deaths occur shortly after arrest. The research, published in PLOS One, found that most deaths happen several weeks after a person's arrest, driven by drug overdoses, preventable conditions and chronic diseases.
Over two-thirds of the deceased were pretrial detainees, not convicted of any crime. From 2008 to 2023, mortality rates in the jail increased, peaking during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most fatalities occurred more than five days after arrest, with the median time from arrest to death being 59 days. The opioid crisis significantly contributed to the rise in mortality, with deaths from drug overdoses increasing sixfold over the study period.
Suicide was the most common cause of death, occurring nearly three times more often in the jail than in the general population. The study suggests that better healthcare within the jail system could reduce mortality, but stronger measures are needed to prevent drugs from entering the facility.
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