Mortality after Release from Prison

Abstract

In the article by Binswanger and colleagues (Jan. 11 issue),¹ the mortality among former prisoners in Washington State — 777 deaths per 100,000 person-years — is striking. The investigators followed released inmates for a mean period of 1.9 years. The mortality soared immediately after release, and continued to be high after that period. Overall, the relative risk of death was 3.5 times that among other Washington residents in a reference group adjusted for age, sex, and race.