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Court Services Division Manual / Volume 2 - Lockup / Chapter 5 - Medical Care/Screening

2-05/040.15 Reporting and Review Process for an Inmate Death


2-05/040.10 Follow-up Notification on an Inmate Death
2-05/045.00 Inmate Unable to Appear in Court Due to Medical or Mental Health Reasons ("No Go Med")

This reporting and review policy applies to all inmate deaths, both adult and juvenile, that occur in any court facility under the direct control of Court Services Division.

The Branch Supervisor or Area Lieutenant Responsibilities:

  • Immediate Telephonic Notifications Required:
    • Division Chief
    • Area and/or Duty Commander
    • Bureau Captain
    • Internal Affairs Bureau on-call Lieutenant (via SHB after hours) in deaths following contact with Department member. Refer to Department Manual of Policy and Procedures
    • Inmate Reception Center
    • Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau – Operation Log entry
    • Sheriff’s Medical Services 24 hr. Nursing Desk, Medical Services Building
    • Risk Management Bureau – Civil Litigation Unit
    • Custody Support Services
  • Information Needed for All Notifications:
    • Inmate name (full name)
    • Booking number
    • DOB
    • Arresting charges
    • Preliminary cause of death (if known)
    • Any unusual circumstances
    • Who pronounced death
    • Name of the court the inmate was appearing in
    • Name of handling judge
    • Names of any Department members involved.

Provide a synopsis of the circumstances of the death and what notifications have been made. Additionally, the Area Lieutenant shall prepare a memo to the Chief from the Bureau Commander summarizing the circumstances of the death and all notifications made.

NOTE: Within 48 hours following an inmate death, the Custody Support Services Unit will send a fax of a Custody Support Services In-Custody Death Reporting Form to the Custody and Court Services Division Chief and the following Departments:

  • U.S. Department of Justice
  • American Civil Liberties Union
  • County Counsel
  • Risk Management Bureau

All in-custody inmate death records shall be maintained for a period of seven years. After seven years, all in-custody inmate death records will be forwarded to the Sheriff’s Records and Identification Bureau for archive.

Notifications required when a juvenile dies in custody:

The Watch Commander shall then contact the Probation Department at (323) 226-8509 (24-hour number), with the juvenile’s name and date of birth. The Probation Department shall locate and provide the name and contact information of the juvenile’s parents or guardians from their records.

When a juvenile dies while in custody, we are required to submit a written report of death to the California Attorney General, Department of Justice. A copy of this report shall be forwarded to:

California Corrections and Standards Authority

600 Bercut Drive

Sacramento, CA 95814

This written notification shall be made within ten calendar days from the date of death. “Death in Custody” reports can be obtained by calling the California Department of Justice at (916) 227-3720.