44 inmates died in jail; It’s the most since state started tracking in 1997

More inmates died in North Carolina’s jails in 2018 than any other year since the state began tracking deaths in 1997.

Forty-four inmates died behind bars or at a medical facility after becoming ill in the jail last year. That’s four more than the previous high in 2015. But over the past five years, jail deaths have trended upward despite more public awareness.

“With all the attention that’s being paid on it, these numbers should be going down,” said Rep. Marcia Morey, a Durham Democrat and former chief district court judge.

Some of the increase can be attributed to better reporting of jail deaths. Last year, state lawmakers tackled a reporting loophole that allowed jails not to report in-custody deaths when a sick inmate had made it to a hospital before dying. Those deaths now have to be reported.

Jails are still are not required to inform the state if the inmate had been released from custody.

Records show more of those deaths are being reported voluntarily, though, including two last year involving inmates sent to Central Prison in Raleigh for care.

But the deaths also reflect that jails continue to struggle with two high-risk populations that sheriffs and public policy experts say have been growing over the years: those with mental illness and/ or drug addictions.

Autopsy reports show at least 12 of the inmates killed themselves, including two who jumped to their deaths. Eight were drug-related, those reports show, including two who died of overdoses after being in jail for months.