William F. Smith: “I support H.R. 3971, the Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2007, and commend Chairman Conyers, Crime Subcommittee…”

“I support H.R. 3971, the Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2007, and commend Chairman Conyers, Crime Subcommittee Chairman Scott, and Crime Subcommittee Ranking Member Gohmert for their commitment to this bipartisan legislation. The Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2000 directed the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics to collect data on deaths that occur in the process of arrest or during transfer after arrest, as well as deaths that occur in jails and prisons. H.R. 3971 reauthorizes this data collection program and directs the Attorney General to commission a study to determine how to reduce deaths in custody and to examine the relationship between deaths in custody and the management of jail and prison facilities. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that between 2001 and 2005 there were 15,308 State prisoner deaths. The bureau also reports that there were 5,935 local prisoner deaths and 43 juvenile deaths between 2000 and 2005. Half of all State prisoner deaths are the result of heart disease and cancer. Two-thirds involved inmates age 45 or older, and another two-thirds are the result of medical problems that were present at the time of admission.”