Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42520003›Full record

Observational studyPloS one2026

Death by incarceration: Detention duration, overdose, and COVID-19 in Los Angeles County Jails, 2008-2023.

Adrianne Katrina Nelson, Michael Everett, Rachel Smith, Lindsey Rogers, Renee Grange, Rebekah Alfred, Haller Jackson, Lauren Woyczynski, Nikolas Brandt, Zainab Jamali and 9 more

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

19 authors.

Adrianne Katrina NelsonYale Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5351-2761
Michael EverettBehind Bars Data Project, University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
Rachel SmithCarceral Ecologies, Institute of Society and Genetics, College of Life Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
Lindsey RogersDepartment of Geography, College of Social Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
Renee GrangeCarceral Ecologies, Institute of Society and Genetics, College of Life Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
Rebekah AlfredCarceral Ecologies, Institute of Society and Genetics, College of Life Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
Haller JacksonBehind Bars Data Project, University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
Lauren WoyczynskiBehind Bars Data Project, University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
Nikolas BrandtCarceral Ecologies, Institute of Society and Genetics, College of Life Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
Zainab JamaliCarceral Ecologies, Institute of Society and Genetics, College of Life Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
Muryam HasanCarceral Ecologies, Institute of Society and Genetics, College of Life Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
Chanel NejadCarceral Ecologies, Institute of Society and Genetics, College of Life Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
Ayesha Aslam-MirCarceral Ecologies, Institute of Society and Genetics, College of Life Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
Josue Sanchez HernandezBehind Bars Data Project, University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
Abril GuanesCarceral Ecologies, Institute of Society and Genetics, College of Life Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8629-5051
Diana SimmesBehind Bars Data Project, University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
Aaron LittmanBehind Bars Data Project, University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
Sharon DolovichBehind Bars Data Project, University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
Nicholas ShapiroCarceral Ecologies, Institute of Society and Genetics, College of Life Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4348-5525

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

importanceJail mortality in the United States has risen sharply in recent years, yet deaths in custody-especially those related to substance use-remain underexamined. The COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid crisis compounded pre-existing carceral health issues, necessitating a closer examination of their combined impact and aftermath. Previous reports suggest that incarcerated people-particularly those who overdose on drugs-die early in their confinement. This article indicates that the dual health threats of the COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid crisis have changed this relationship, substantially extending the time from arrest to death.

objectiveTo investigate how duration of confinement, manners and causes of death (e.g., COVID-19, substance use), and pandemic mitigation policies impacted mortality in Los Angeles (LA) County Jail from 2008-2023.

designA retrospective, observational study utilizing linked datasets to identify mortality trends and associated factors.

settingLA County Jail, the largest jail system in the United States.

participantsWe created three data sets: 1) LA County Jail deaths from 2008-2023, N = 509, 2) City Jail deaths within LA County, encompassing LA City Jail deaths 2008-2023, N = 42 and Non-LA City Jail deaths, 2008-2023, N = 30, and 3) all bookings from 2010-2022, N = 1,435,479. MAIN OUTCOME(S) AND MEASURE(S): Mortality trends over time, duration of incarceration prior to death, duration of incarceration for those released or transferred, and cause-specific mortality including direct standardized rates and standardized mortality ratios. Statistical models assessed the impact of confinement duration and pandemic and opioid crisis years on mortality.

resultsJail mortality broadly, and substance-related deaths specifically, increased from 2008 to 2023, peaking during the pandemic. The median time from arrest to death was over five times as long (59 days) as the median duration of stay for all bookings (11 days). COVID-19 infection, prolonged confinement, and restrictive pandemic policies were associated with elevated mortality rates. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Findings highlight the urgent need for reforms, including reduced incarceration; reduced incarceration duration; expanded access to substance use disorder treatment; decreased influx of drugs into jails; increased programming, visits, and out-of-cell time; and improved health safeguards.

Indexed as

COVID-19Drug OverdoseJailsPrisonersAdultCause of DeathFemaleHumansIncarcerationLos AngelesMaleMiddle AgedPandemicsPrisonsRetrospective StudiesSARS-CoV-2

Identifiers

PMID42520003
PMCPMC13411872

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.