Deaths in prison: Toxicological findings in cases analysed at the National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences (Madrid) during the period 2021–2023

Abstract

Introduction

A 39.5 % of violent deaths that occurred in Spanish prisons were drug-related deaths.

In this study, we assess the role of abused drugs and prescribed psychoactive drugs in a cohort of prison deaths cases along three years.

Materials and methods

A cohort of 40 cases were received during the period 2021–2023. Each of them was classified following several parameters: sex, age, pathologies, pharmacologycal treatment, reported cause of death and toxicologycal analysis (analysed samples and detected substances following analytical routine).

Results

A 82.5 % of cases submitted (n = 33) were classified as violent deaths: suicide by hangling (39.4% n = 13) and drug-related deaths (60.6 % n = 20). The Victim's profile was a man with a mean age of 39.5 years old, who suffered from a mental disease and had been prescribed a medical treatment mainly with psychoactive drugs.

In cases of suicide by hangling, toxicologycal analysis revealed psychoactive drug consumption, such as benzodiazepines and gabaergic drugs. On the other hand, in drug-related death cases, polyconsumption involving abuse drugs and prescribed drugs was prevalent.

Discussion

The whole of violent death cases showed a positive toxicologycal result. In regard to these results, we should highlight the absence of alcohol, and the polyconsumption of prescribed and not prescribed psychoactive drugs involving abuse drugs in those cases where polydrug intoxication was reported as a cause of death. Abuse drugs detected corresponded with consumption patterns in Spanish society.