No one should expect to lose their life while held in custody. Yet, people are dying every year inside Orange County jails — many within days of being booked. Despite declining jail populations, deaths continue to rise, often dismissed by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department as the result of “life choices.”

This report, based primarily on 119 in-custody death records obtained through public records requests and cross-referenced with District Attorney investigations, shows otherwise. The conditions of incarceration, including medical neglect, untreated withdrawal, exposure to violence, and severe mental health strain, directly contribute to premature and preventable deaths.

The findings reveal a system in which internal investigations lack transparency and accountability: not one of the 119 deaths reviewed resulted in the District Attorney finding the Sheriff’s Department at fault. The data expose a pattern of systemic failure.

Nearly half of those who died did so within one month of booking, and many were struggling with substance use disorders, mental illness, or chronic health conditions that were ignored or mishandled. Black and Latine residents are vastly overrepresented in Orange County’s jail population and are among those who die there, underscoring deep racial disparities in who is subjected to these conditions.

This report concludes that incarceration itself is the primary risk factor. Jails are ill-equipped to provide medical or mental health care and yet are filled with those who need it most.

The most effective way to prevent deaths in custody is to reduce reliance on incarceration by investing in community-based treatment, housing, and diversion programs that keep people safe and alive outside of jail.

OCSD reports for case studies featured in this report:

• Adiel Rivera Barrios
• Andrew Curcio
• Anthony Aceves
• Brekka Lancaster
• Byron Baker
• Cristobal Solano
• Juventino Ahuatlcabrera
• Jason Holliday
• Kirk Price
• Patrick Russell
• Robert Moreno
• Stephen Mott
• Steven Duran
• Yasir Flores