Sudden Deaths in Custody

Darrell L. Ross · Ted Chan

Oct 2007 · Springer Science & Business Media

About this ebook

Sudden in-custody restraint deaths have emerged as a critical and imp- tant problem for police, correctional, and medical care workers. The scope and magnitude of the problem clearly reveals that the subject matter is worthy of further consideration. Although the frequency of these deaths is very low, the criticality of its occurrence requires attention to the subject matter. The purpose of Sudden Deaths in Custody is to provide current information that addresses the issue from a number of perspectives. It is our purpose to assemble, under one title, current research that addresses the varying facets that underscore the nature of sudden in-custody deaths. The intent is to provide information that can further educate and assist those officers, adm- istrators, investigators, trainers, and medical personnel who must interact, intervene, and make decisions about how to prevent sudden in-custody deaths. Sudden Deaths in Custody specifically addresses sudden in-custody deaths that occur after a violent confrontation. Such incidents may occur after police or correction officers’ intervention, but also include incidents that may occur in a mental health facility or emergency medical field setting. The deaths described in this volume all involve sudden death within minutes or hours of contact preceded by one or more of the following: violent confrontation with police or corrections personnel, forcible control measures, and behavior inf- enced by a chemical substance, or mental impairment. Incidents involving custodial suicides, homicides, accidents, fatal pursuits, or police shootings are excluded.

Ratings and reviews

This is another in the "Chan" series of murder apologetics. Those who are familiar with the terms "Sudden In-Custody Death Syndrome" are surely already familiar with the infamous Dr. Chan and his ongoing series of legal defenses for police who have just fought with someone who has died in their custody immediately thereafter. A reasonable person might perk up when reading statements regarding how this mysterious phenomenon suddenly began appearing right around the time Cameras and pepper-spray became popular with citizens and the police who attack them, respectively. Certainly police were using restraints prior to this date, yet the literature cites it's sudden appearance only a few decades ago. Police and Prison Guard Fraternal Orgs are pressed to find more cheap labour, but skyrocketing in-custody deaths threatened to bring more light onto what is actually a very shady system of slave-labour and media hysteria over crime rates that really haven't moved if one discounts the criminalization of more acts and the longer sentences handed down. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy with a Catch-22 spin IOW. Hence the need for a cover story, and that's where Dr. Chan saw his opportunity. His work has been cited by Taser International and it;s still successful effort to sell the most lethal "non-lethal" weapon in history. Ironically, many of those whom it has been used on were arrested for growing, selling or possessing the most non-lethal "lethal" drug in history. Tasers = 1488 deaths since 2000AD, Marijuana = 0 fatalities since 2000 BCE Psilocin/psilocybin = 0 deaths since Neolithic Revolution Sudden In-Custody Death Syndrome = 560+ since Reagan Revolution You get the picture.....