How many people died in police custody in Chicago between 1970 and 1979?
The statistics for Chicago are not readily available. Chris Humble of the Illinois Criminal Justice Authority States that you might be able to get those statistics from the following places:
If you are looking for the number of people who died in police custody, (i.e. held by police but not yet turned over to the department of corrections) the information was not collected during that time period by the Criminal Justice Authority. You should contact the Research and Development Division of the Chicago Police Department at 312-745-6071.
If you are looking for the number of people who died while incarcerated, you should contact the Illinois Department of Corrections Planning and Research Unit located in Springfield. The Unit's number is 217-522-2666
The number of people who died while incarcerated in Illinois for a number of years is found in the Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics. The numbers are as follows:
In the 1973 volume in table 6.26 entitled Sentenced State Prisoners Admissions and Departures by Type and State 1970 the number of deaths is listed as 27.
In the 1974 volume in table 6.44 entitled Selected Departures of Sentenced Prisoners in State and Federal Institutions by Region, State, Sex, and type of departure 1972-1973 the number of deaths listed are 17 deaths in 1972 and 13 deaths in 1973. These deaths are listed as "Deaths except executions."
There was not a State based table in 1975.
In the 1976 volume in table 6.44 entitled Movement of Sentenced Prisoners in State and Federals Institutions by Region and jurisdiction 1974 the number of deaths listed is 10.
In the 1977 volume in table 6.44 entitled Movement of Sentenced Prisoners in State and Federals Institutions by Region and Jurisdiction 1975 the number of deaths listed is 69.
In the 1978 volume in table 6.26 entitled Movement of Sentenced Prisoners in State and Federals Institutions by Region and Jurisdiction 1976 the number of deaths listed is 10.
I do not have access to later volumes, but if you are able to locate them they will most likely have similar charts.
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