Justice Department watchdog issues blistering report on hundreds of inmate deaths in federal prisons

Washington — Extreme staffing shortages, policy violations and systemic operational failures contributed to hundreds of likely preventable inmate deaths across the Federal Bureau of Prisons system between 2014 and 2021, a government watchdog found in a blistering report released Thursday.

The Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General examined 344 deaths of inmates in BOP's custody over the eight-year period that were the result of suicides, homicides or accidents. Health care-related deaths were excluded from the analysis. 

More than half of the deaths — 187, or 54% — were by suicide, which the report said represents a "significant risk area" for the federal prison system. Homicide was the second most common cause of death.