Undercounted: The hidden deaths in America’s jails

According to a federal database of in-custody deaths obtained by The Marshall Project, nearly 4,000 people died in jails over a four-year period between 2019 and 2023.

In our series Undercounted, Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd travels across the country to better understand the hidden deaths in America’s jails.

Episode 6: 'They're still people': System reforms often aren't enough to prevent jail deaths

Monica Graham's son, Richard, died of an overdose last year in the Louisville, Kentucky, jail.

She's waging a legal battle against the city while jail administrators try to make improvements to an aging facility and keep illegal contraband out.

Episode 5: Jails struggle to prevent overdose deaths as fentanyl is smuggled in, and treatment isn't available

Jails may seem secure, but people who run them have a very hard time keeping drugs out. Those drugs often lead to overdoses.

But jails are trying to keep the contraband from slipping inside.

Episode 4: Suicide is a leading cause of death in the U.S. prison system. How can jails reduce risk factors?

According to federal data analyzed by The Marshall Project, nearly 900 people died by suicide in jails across the country during a recent four-year period.

Brown University's Lauren Weinstock, who studies suicide risk for people who have been incarcerated, explains more.

Episode 3: 'The system failed him': Suicide at an Oklahoma jail points to a troubling trend

Suicide is one of the top reasons why people die in custody in U.S. jails.

For years, the Oklahoma County jail has struggled with health and safety issues, including inmate suicides.

In Oklahoma City, some programs are working to keep seriously mentally ill people out of jail.

Episode 2: Can a biometric bracelet keep people from dying in jail?

This year, jail officials in Philadelphia started putting digital wristbands on inmates that measure vital signs. They can alert staff when a medical emergency is happening.

Here  & Now’s Peter O’Dowd goes inside the city's jail complex with the Marshall Project’s Ilica Majahan to learn more.

Episode 1: Jail death data finds ‘natural causes’ and ‘unavailable' the top causes of death

In the U.S., there are statistics on just about everything. We know how many people die from heart disease, cancer and childbirth. So why is it so difficult to know exactly how many people die in jail?

We ask Jay Aronson, co-author of the book "Death in Custody: How America Ignores the Truth and What We Can Do About It."

Editor's note: If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

This reporting was supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.