Top 9 Deadliest Prisons With The Most Deaths In New York State

The New York State Department of Corrections released a report of how many incarcerated individuals have died in its facilities for the year.

Over the past ten years, there have been a total of 1,360 inmate deaths at state-run facilities. These deaths include all facilities - maximum, medium, and minimum security prisons, as well as Regional Medical Units.

Here's how many incarcerated prisoners have died from all causes over the past decade:

2012 - 123
2013 - 145
2014 - 131
2015 - 124
2016 - 152
2017 - 158
2018 - 142
2019 - 118
2020 - 130
2021 - 137

The totals include all manners of deaths - accident, homicide, natural, suicide, and unknown. For clarification, the manner of death is not necessarily the same as the cause of death,

Pursuant to NYS County Law §671 and §674, the official cause of death for all incarcerated individual deaths is determined by the county coroner or medical examiner. County Law §677 leaves it to county coroner and medical examiner to determine if results will be released and to whom. Therefore, the manner of death is presented in this report, not cause of death.

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These 9 Prisons Had The Most Prisoner Deaths In 2021

The facilities with the most deaths in 2021 were the four medical units - Coxsackie RMU, Fishkill RMU, Walsh RMU, and Wende RMU. A total of 48 inmates died at these facilities with 47 being classified as natural deaths and 1 classified as unknown. For the purposes of this list, the medical units are not included in the top 9 prisons.

Between 2017 and 2021, the mortality rate for deaths at DOCCS was 30.08 per 10,000 or 300.8 per 100,000. Based on the most recent national figures for deaths in state prisons between 2001 and 2019, New York’s mortality rate was about the same as or lower than other large states.

4. (Tie) Mid-State Correctional Facility (Medium) - 4 Deaths

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Natural - 3
Suicide - 1

4. (Tie) Fishkill Correctional Facility (Medium) - 4 Deaths

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Accident - 1
Natural - 3

4. (Tie) Coxsackie Correctional Facility (Maximum) - 4 Deaths

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Natural - 3
Suicide - 1

4. (Tie) Sing Sing Correctional Facility, formerly Ossining Correctional Facility (Maximum) - 4 Deaths

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Natural - 1
Suicide - 2
Unknown - 1

3. (Tie) Green Haven Correctional Facility (Maximum) - 6 Deaths

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Accident - 3
Natural - 2
Unknown - 1

3. (Tie) Five Points Correctional Facility (Maximum) - 6 Deaths

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Natural - 3
Suicide - 3

3. (Tie) Attica Correctional Facility (Maximum) - 6 Deaths

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Accident - 1
Natural - 4
Unknown - 1

2. Clinton Correctional Facility (Maximum) - 7 Deaths

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Accident - 3
Natural - 3
Unknown - 1

1. Elmira Correctional Facility (Maximum) - 9 Deaths

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Natural - 2
Suicide - 6
Unknown - 1

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These 7 Prisons Are The Most Violent In New York State

New York released a report with the most recent number of violent assaults on inmates in state prisons. There were 134 inmate deaths noted in the report, although it doesn't break down the prisons where each death occurred or who caused them. Here's a look at some of the general violent incidents reported for 2020, which is the most recent data reported by the state. Compared to 10 years ago, inmate assaults have almost doubled. In 2011 there were 666 and in 2020 there were 1,205 reported. These numbers do not include inmate assaults on staff members. Overall, the number of unusual incidents includes things like assaults, deaths, accidents, sexual misconduct, and disruptive behavior. According to the state,

"The number of unusual incidents has increased 132% from 5,980 in 2011 to 13,870 in 2020. These higher incident numbers were largely due to increases in assaults on incarcerated individuals (+81%), assaults on staff (+86%), contraband (+130%), disruptive behavior (+372%), and staff use of weapons (+1,035%)."

In 2020, 1,836 weapons used to cut or stab, including ice picks, razor blades, can lids and shanks were discovered in state prisons around New York.