Included in this dataset: A list of deaths in DOCCS custody starting January 2020, as reported to the State Commission of Correction (SCOC). A death in custody refers to the death of any person in the custody of a DOCCS facility, regardless of whether the death took place at the facility or in another setting, such as an outside hospital.

This dataset includes information on the demographics of the deceased individual (including age, gender, ethnicity, and race), as well as the date of death, terminal incident location, and facility to which the individual was assigned at the time of death. CANY has deidentified the data by generalizing "Date of Birth" to "Birth Year" and "Death Date/Time" to "Death Date."

How this data is generated: As stipulated in New York Codes, Rules, and Regulations Title 9 §7022.4, DOCCS facilities must report the death of an incarcerated individual to SCOC within six hours of the pronouncement of death. Within ten days of the death, the facility medical director must submit a follow-up M187 report to SCOC on the recent medical history of the deceased individual and the circumstances behind the individual’s death. The data presented here is compiled by SCOC from these reports and has been obtained by CANY through a monthly data sharing agreement with SCOC.

Limitations and guidelines for use: This data from SCOC does not include information on cause or manner of death. CANY has identified other sources for this information, including DOCCS’ annual mortality reports and data tables from the New York State Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation, which are linked below.

Why we’re publishing this data: This data provides the public with a starting point for understanding deaths in custody over time. Together with the individual-level reports linked below, the data gives a record of the frequency of deaths in custody and the context in which they take place.

Expected update frequency: Every three months

Related data, research, and analysis:

• DOCCS 2023 Annual Mortality Report: A report summarizing deaths in custody as recorded in DOCCS’ unusual incident data, including information on demographic characteristics and manner of death.

• NYS Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) Annual Reports: Annual reports on the OSI’s investigations into deaths potentially caused by police officers and corrections officers. Data tables accompanying the reports, which include data on manner of death, are available here.

• SCOC Incarcerated Mortality Reports: Individual-level reports on investigations into deaths at local jails and state prisons conducted by the SCOC’s Medical Review Board.

• Columbia University Center for Justice: New York State’s New Death Penalty: An analysis of deaths in DOCCS facilities between 1976 and 2020, with policy recommendations for reducing the frequency of such deaths.

• UCLA Law COVID Behind Bars Data Project: A nationwide database of public information on deaths in state and federal prisons, focusing on mortalities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Incarceration Transparency: An overview of resources on deaths in custody for all fifty states, as well as a detailed repository of deaths by county for select states.

For recommendations reflecting trends in administrative data, read CANY’s Policy Agenda and Departmental Recommendations. For findings from monitoring visits, including survey and interview data from incarcerated individuals, read CANY’s Post-Visit Briefings.