What is a death in custody?The final report of the RCIADIC outlined the types of deaths that would require notification to theNDICP (recommendation 41, RCIADIC 1991). They are:•• a death, wherever occurring, of a person who is in prison custody, police custody or youthdetention;•• a death, wherever occurring, of a person whose death is caused or contributed to by traumaticinjuries sustained, or by lack of proper care, while in such custody or detention;•• a death, wherever occurring, of a person who dies, or is fatally injured, in the process of police orprison officers attempting to detain that person; or•• a death, wherever occurring, of a person attempting to escape from prison, police custody oryouth detention.Deaths in police custody are further divided into two categories:•• category 1: deaths in institutional settings (eg police stations, police vehicles, or in hospitals,following transfer from an institution) and other deaths in police operations where officers were inclose contact with the deceased (eg most raids and shootings by police).•• category 2: other deaths in custody-related police operations where officers were not in closecontact with the deceased (eg most sieges, pursuits).
