Dying inside
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Dying inside: deaths from natural causes in prison culture, regimes and relationships
IRAS ID
216955
Contact name
Carol Robinson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Research & Enterprise Directorate, University of York
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 28 days
Research summary
Of the 257 deaths in prison recorded in 2015, 57% were attributed to natural causes (Ministry of Justice, 2016). This is an increase in the rate of deaths from natural causes, from 1.06 deaths per 1000 prisoners in 2006 to 1.71 per 1000 prisoners in 2015 (Ministry of Justice, 2016). Despite this, little attention has been paid to how deaths from natural causes in prison affect regimes (for example in terms of the implementation of rules or provision of facilities), culture (which may be plural within the prison) and relationships (between staff and prisoners or prisoner and prisoners).
This postgraduate research is part of a PhD in Sociology, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and based at the University of York. It aims to identify the impact that deaths from natural causes in prison have on prison regimes, culture and relationships and what factors may influence the response of the prison regime and personnel to dying prisoners. The research will primarily involve observing situations within the study prisons where staff and terminally or seriously ill prisoners interact, including on prison wings, in prison healthcare centres and when prisoners are taken for treatment to ‘outside’ hospitals. Staff in a variety of roles will be interviewed about their experiences of working with dying prisoners. Interviews will also be held with prisoners who are employed as carers for other prisoners.
The investigator is supported in this research by the governing Governors of the two prisons where fieldwork will be conducted. The study will not include any medical interventions or the evaluation of any medical interventions. It will be conducted primarily in prisons, with the exception of observing visits made by prisoners to hospital outside of the prison, when they are accompanied by prison staff.REC name
East of England - Essex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/EE/0099
Date of REC Opinion
28 Mar 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion