@article{ref1,
title="Fatal accident inquiries into 83 deaths in Scottish prison custody: 2010-2013",
journal="BJPsych open",
year="2020",
author="Bird, Sheila M.",
volume="6",
number="6",
pages="e132-e132",
abstract="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.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2056-4724",
doi="10.1192/bjo.2020.121",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2020.121"
}