The report focuses on immigration detainers, which are requests made by ICE asking local law enforcement agencies to notify federal officials before releasing a deportable immigrant from custody. Detainers also request that inmates be held for up to 48 additional hours so ICE agents have time to take them into federal custody.

    Data compiled for 2025 shows Riverside County transferred 158 out of 1,380 inmates with immigration detainers into ICE custody, amounting to an 11.4% transfer rate. San Bernardino County transferred 180 out of 1,674 detainees, or 10.8%. Both counties ranked above the statewide average of 8.49%, according to the analysis.

    By comparison, Los Angeles County transferred 4.6% of inmates with immigration detainers, while Orange County transferred 7.6%. Across California, 2,077 inmates out of 24,438 people flagged with immigration detainers were ultimately transferred to ICE custody during 2025.

    The findings were assembled by Keith Maben, a sophomore at Claremont McKenna College and head of the Immigration Task Force at the Mgrublian Center for Human Rights. Maben said Riverside and San Bernardino counties stood out because their transfer rates were noticeably higher than California’s average.

    “San Bernardino and Riverside County were on the higher end of enforcement data,” Maben said. “Both of them had results where about 10 to 12% of these detainees actually resulted in people going into ICE custody.”

    Maben noted that while the percentage differences may appear small on paper, the contrast becomes clearer when compared to counties such as Santa Clara County, where less than 1% of detainees with immigration detainers were transferred to ICE.

    The report also found a pattern between transfer rates and political leanings across California counties. Counties with more conservative voter bases and sheriffs tended to report higher levels of cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

    Among the counties with the highest transfer percentages were Imperial County at 33.7%, Kings County at 29.1%, Santa Barbara County at 24.9%, Tuolumne County at 24.3%, and Del Norte County at 22.2%. Riverside County ranked 12th statewide, while San Bernardino County ranked 13th.

    Maben said his research examined how sheriff’s departments interpret California’s Senate Bill 54, also known as the California Values Act, which limits cooperation between local law enforcement agencies and federal immigration authorities.

    Through public records requests, the Mgrublian Center obtained documents outlining agreements between Riverside County and federal agencies, including a 2020 memorandum with Homeland Security Investigations and a 2024 agreement with U.S. Border Patrol tied to drug smuggling investigations.

    “We found a very strong effect where California sheriffs who tended to cooperate with the federal government or have memorandums of understanding also tended to have higher enforcement data,” Maben said.

    One document highlighted in the report was Riverside County’s 2018 ICE Detainer Eligibility Worksheet, which lists 30 serious or violent felonies that may justify notifying ICE before an inmate’s release.

    Immigrant rights advocates say the numbers are troubling, though not unexpected. Eddie Torres, policy director for the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, pointed to the presence of the Adelanto ICE Processing Center and the nearby Desert View Annex as a possible reason the Inland Empire sees higher transfer rates.

    “When you have a detention center near you, it makes sense you’d have a higher rate of transfers because it makes logistical sense,” Torres said.

    The Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice is part of the Shut Down Adelanto Coalition, a group of organizations pushing to close the Adelanto detention facilities operated by GEO Group. Torres said advocates came close to shutting the facilities down in 2023 before federal officials renewed the contract for another five years.

    The discussion around immigration transfers has also become tied to California’s broader political debate over immigration enforcement. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who is currently running for governor, has publicly advocated for stronger cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration agencies. His campaign platform calls for ending policies such as SB 54 and allowing local law enforcement to work more closely with federal immigration officials in criminal cases involving undocumented immigrants.

    In response to questions about the report, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Lt. Deirdre Vickers said the department follows California law and does not exercise discretion beyond the legal requirements outlined in SB 54.

    “The Riverside Sheriff’s Office complies with the law,” Vickers said in a written statement. “First, the Sheriff’s Office receives a request for transfers from ICE. The Sheriff’s Office then determines the inmates who meet the requirements under SB 54. Of those inmates, ICE determines which inmates are transferred into their custody.”

    The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department disputed portions of the data used in the report. Department officials said they received 1,423 ICE notifications in 2025 rather than the 1,674 cited in the analysis, and said only 47 inmates were transferred to ICE custody instead of 180.

    Maben acknowledged that some of the data may be imperfect because it was reconstructed through federal public records requests and not reported directly by ICE.

    “I think it’s important to take this data with a grain of salt,” Maben said. “It tells us something, but it’s not going to inform the whole story.”

    ICE also questioned the accuracy of the Deportation Data Project, which supplied much of the information used in the analysis. In a statement, the agency said its internal systems do not support the project’s numbers and that ICE could not verify the completeness or accuracy of the outside data.

    San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus argued that restrictions created by SB 54 have shifted immigration enforcement away from county jails and into public spaces. Dicus said allowing transfers to occur inside secure jail facilities would reduce risks to both officers and the public.

    “Those in-custody transfers provided a more predictable, secure, and efficient process for law enforcement and reduced risk to the public,” Dicus said in a written statement. “Current law prohibits that level of coordination.”

    Los Angeles County officials said their department requires a federal judicial warrant signed by a judge before an inmate can be transferred to ICE custody, in accordance with county policy and California law. Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes also stated publicly that ICE ultimately decides whether to pick up inmates with detainers after their jail commitments end.

    Meanwhile, immigrant rights advocates believe immigration enforcement activity will continue increasing throughout 2026 as the federal government expands detention operations nationwide. Torres said advocacy groups are increasingly concerned about what they describe as more tactical immigration enforcement operations occurring in courthouses and other public settings.

    Maben’s full report for the Mgrublian Center for Human Rights is expected to be released in the coming weeks.

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Chamel Abdulkarim, 29, of Highland, was arrested the same day on suspicion of arson. He is currently being held without bail at the West Valley Detention Center and is expected to appear in Rancho Cucamonga Superior Court. Jail records show he could face charges including arson of an inhabited structure and arson causing property damage.

According to investigators, Abdulkarim was one of about 20 employees inside the warehouse when the fire started. At first, coworkers feared he might have been trapped in the flames. That concern quickly shifted after a video circulated online appearing to show a man—believed to be Abdulkarim—lighting stacks of toilet paper on fire while complaining about low wages.

Ontario police confirmed they are aware of the video and said it is part of the ongoing investigation.

The warehouse was operated by NFI Industries on behalf of Kimberly-Clark. A spokesperson for NFI confirmed Abdulkarim was an employee and said the company is cooperating fully with authorities. Officials also noted that all workers were safely accounted for and no injuries were reported.

Employees who escaped the building described a chaotic scene as alarms sounded and flames rapidly spread. Some initially gathered behind the warehouse before firefighters instructed them to move farther away for safety. Witnesses reported seeing fire spread to nearby semi-truck trailers parked at loading docks, with explosions heard from inside the structure.

By the time crews gained control, the damage was extensive. Fire officials said the roof collapsed during the blaze, disabling the building’s sprinkler system and leaving the structure a total loss.

Kimberly-Clark confirmed that none of its personnel were inside at the time and that all workers were safely evacuated. The company has since activated emergency response plans, including redirecting shipments and securing alternative warehouse space to minimize disruption to customers.

Local officials also acknowledged the potential impact on employees. San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman said the county is prepared to assist displaced workers with job placement and training resources.

For now, many of the warehouse employees are left waiting for answers about their future, after losing their workplace in a matter of hours.

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The Inland Empire Economic Partnership released its economic analysis and forecast for 2026 at its State of the Region event last month. We presented the national and state outlook previously. Now, we’ll focus on the current economic situation in the Inland Empire and the short-term and long-term outlook. A subsequent piece will look at the housing market.

2025 was not an easy year for the Inland Empire economy. The Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario Metropolitan Statistical Area, known as the Inland Empire (Riverside County and San Bernardino County), made it through the year primarily on the strength of a few industries. Looking at the region’s economic activity, we think of it as a house with a good view that is supported by three stilts. These are logistics, health industries, and local government expenditures, primarily public education. Take away one of the pillars, and the house will tumble. Over the last year, two of these three industries prevented the area from experiencing a significant number of job losses.

In 2025, there were only 3,200 job gains for the two counties, a 0.2% growth in employment. The two largest employment sectors — health and local government — created 24,400 new jobs, meaning all other sectors combined lost 21,100 jobs.

The logistics sector, the third largest employer in the region and the largest in San Bernardino County, lost 6,100 positions, continuing the “freight recession,” which started in mid-2022. Other sectors losing jobs were manufacturing (-3,500), construction (-8,200), professional and business services (200), financial services (-1,200) and information (-500).

The unemployment rate increased slightly from 4.9% to 5.1% during the year. However, this was due to the labor force growth outpacing the employment growth, which is a relatively healthy picture.

The unemployment rate ended up at the same level as the state unemployment rate, which currently is the highest among the 50 states. Both the Inland Empire and the California unemployment rates are a percentage point higher than the national rate.

Looking through 2026, job growth will be weak and will be adversely affected by national policies. Tariffs will have a lingering effect on logistics and cutbacks in Medicaid (MediCal) will temper growth in the health sector. Meanwhile, public education will face challenges in terms of funding cuts and demographics, with the number of school-age children continuing to decline. Most likely we will see a flat or shrinking labor force in the area.

In short, the Inland Empire economy may find itself treading water for most of the year. There are threats to the logistics industry due to the recent price increases at the pump. However, we assume the Middle East conflict will not result in oil prices last reached in 2022, when they were over $130 per barrel.

The long-term outlook for the Inland Empire must be viewed through the lens of today’s economy.

With 4.7 million residents, the region is already the state’s second largest metro area and the 12th largest nationally. The region will grow in the coming years, faster than the coastal counties but at a slower pace than in the past. The foundation of the economy will continue to be logistics, health care and population-serving industries. Because the region’s housing is more affordable than along the coast, and because the coastal counties offer a wider array of jobs, large numbers of workers will choose to live in the region and commute. At recent count, approximately 350,000 commuters endure long commutes. This includes younger members of the workforce, who grew up in the region and attended local colleges, but found more and better employment opportunities elsewhere, since there are too few well-paying job opportunities within the region.

The trajectory of the region can be altered by attracting and growing firms in industries that feature better paying jobs, including those for better-educated workers. These industries can lure workers back.

The challenge is to envision the future the Inland Empire wants and to undertake a strategic plan to realize that vision. The region can identify and attract growth-oriented industries that have the potential to move here and can work alongside the industries that currently support the regional economy. The region’s colleges and universities turn out thousands of graduates each year, but these numbers are not well reflected in the region’s educational attainment statistics: Only 25% of residents ages 25 to 45 hold at least a bachelor’s degree compared to 37% for the state and the nation. Higher paying firms are reluctant to move into the area. While the cost of living in the region is better than in coastal communities, firms that may consider relocating from elsewhere in the country will hesitate because housing costs in the region exceed those in other parts of the country with whom we must compete. The region must take steps to rein in housing costs if it wants to attract firms from outside the state. This means increasing the supply of housing beyond recent levels of new construction, and meeting the housing needs of all households, including market rate housing, affordable housing, and rental housing.

The Inland Empire Economic Partnership’s mission is to help create a regional voice for business and quality of life in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Its membership includes organizations in the private and public sector.

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The Inland Region Housing Justice Coalition — which includes Time for Change Foundation, IE Tenants Union, Victor Valley Family Resource Center, ACLU of Southern California, Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement (COPE), Inland Equity Community Land Trust, Inland Congregations United for Change (ICUC), and Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity — opposed the measure and urged investments in housing and services.

“The number of encampments on county public property has increased over recent years,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman and Third District Supervisor Dawn Rowe. “These conditions threaten not only those living within the encampments, but also the broader community. The goal of this ordinance is to address critical health and safety risks, while also ensuring that people experiencing homelessness have access to the care and support they need.”

The County said the ordinance aligns with a July 2024 executive order by Gov. Gavin Newsom encouraging local governments to adopt policies to address homeless encampments and to humanely remove encampments. Following adoption, officials said they will prioritize flood channels and other areas that expose inhabitants to critical health and safety dangers, and will connect individuals to housing and supportive services while continuing outreach.

“Passing this ordinance is an important step in our proactive approach to addressing homeless encampments,” said Rowe. “It also ensures that people experiencing homelessness have access to the appropriate supportive services.”

Coalition leaders said the ordinance targets people experiencing homelessness without solving the region’s underlying shortages of housing and care. “The ordinance fails to address the real crisis. Our region’s lack of affordable housing and supportive services,” said the Inland Region Housing Justice Coalition in a joint statement. “Criminalizing homelessness only deepens poverty and makes it harder for people to get back on their feet.”

“We need investment in housing, not handcuffs,” said Raynesha Belvins, Homelessness Survivor and Advocate of Time for Change Foundation.

“This ordinance may have passed, but our community is united in demanding dignity and solutions,” added the coalition. “We will continue to push for policies that reflect compassion, equity, and justice,” said Sharon Green – CEO of Victor Valley Family Resource Center.

During the public hearing, coalition representatives urged county leaders to prioritize permanent supportive housing, rental protections, addiction treatment, mental health care, and wraparound support. They emphasized that enforcement-targeted policies are harmful and costly to taxpayers, while housing-first models save money and lives.

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On June 20 federal agents picked up a longtime parishioner of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Montclair on church property, according to the National Catholic Reporter. In a separate incident that day, agents chased several men onto the church parking lot of St. Adelaide parish in Highland. 

Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin disputed what she said were news reports that agents had entered the church hall. 

“The accusation that ICE entered a church to make an arrest are FALSE,” she stated in an email to CalMatters.  “ICE conducted a traffic stop on an illegal alien on June 20 in the general proximity of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Montclair, California. The illegal alien chose to pull into the church parking lot. Officers then safely made the arrest.”

For almost a decade and a half, U.S. immigration officers steered clear of churches, complying with a directive by former President Barack Obama that limited immigration enforcement at sensitive locations, including schools, hospitals and places of worship. Former President Joe Biden maintained those guidelines to deter immigration action in areas that provide essential services.

On his inauguration day Jan. 20, President Donald Trump revoked that protection, stating that the Biden-era restrictions “thwart law enforcement in or near so-called ‘sensitive’ areas.” 

Catholic leaders have denounced ICE’s aggressive enforcement tactics and protested that many detained immigrants are denied the right to plead their cases.

“Authorities are now seizing brothers and sisters indiscriminately, without respect for their right to due process and their dignity as children of God,” wrote Bishop Alberto Rojas, of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Bernardino, in a letter to parishioners June 23.

John Andrews, a spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Bernardino, said the man detained at Our Lady of Lourdes is a longtime parishioner whose family is involved in the ministry. 

“There was no one present at Our Lady of Lourdes when he was taken into custody,” Andrews told CalMatters in an email. “He was doing some landscaping work there. He is in custody so there is no one who can really speak to what transpired in that apprehension.”

The men arrested at St. Adelaide Church didn’t appear to have a connection to the parish, Andrews said: “Neither the parish nor the diocese has any information about them, their whereabouts or whether or not they were arrested.”

Rojas stated in his letter that church leaders respect law enforcement efforts to keep communities safe from violent criminals, but raiding homes, workplaces and churches creates fear and confusion: “It is not of the Gospel of Jesus Christ — which guides us in all that we do.”

He asked elected leaders to “reconsider and cease these tactics immediately, in favor of an approach that respects human rights and human dignity and builds toward a more lasting, comprehensive reform of our immigration system.”

The Catholic Church has been increasingly vocal on the plight of immigrants and refugees in recent years. The late Pope Francis traveled to Sicily to meet with immigrants from Libya on his first pastoral visit outside Rome and later rescued 12 Syrians from a refugee camp in Greece. As Trump took office in January, Pope Francis denounced his mass deportation plans as “a disgrace.”

On June 20, the day of the Inland Empire church arrests, also World Refugee Day, Michael Pham, the newly appointed bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego, joined a group of clergy to witness immigration proceedings at the federal building in San Diego. 

Pham came to the U.S. as a refugee from Vietnam in 1981. He told reporters that he prayed for “wisdom and insight to help our poor brothers … through the crises in their lives.”

The raids also are beginning to draw criticism from some California Republican lawmakers. Six signed a June 27 letter calling for more moderate immigration action, arguing that raids are hurting communities and businesses.

The lawmakers — including state Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, a Redlands Republican — endorsed the letter by Senator Suzette Martinez Valladares, a Santa Clarita Republican, asking Trump to “focus deportations on criminals” and modernize immigration policies.

While they support immigration enforcement against violent criminals, they said, immigrants without criminal records are being swept up in raids, “creating widespread fear.”

ICE workplace raids at farms, construction sites, restaurants and hotels, “are harming the communities we represent and the businesses that employ our constituents,” the letter states.

The lawmakers are asking for comprehensive immigration reform, expansion of work visas and a path to legal status for non-criminal immigrants.

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A county investment to the Inland Empire Community Foundation established the program that offers “flexible, affordable loans” to local nonprofits, officials said. The loans seek to address the financial stress organizations often experience when traditional funding is difficult to acquire.

Established by a one-time allocation from the county, the IECF will manage the revolving loan fund that will start with $2.5 million for loan capitalization and $500,000 for startup and administrative costs during the initial two years, according to the county. After the first phase, interest earnings and loan repayments will replenish the fund to sustain it as a lasting resource for local agencies.

“The revolving loan fund represents an exciting opportunity to empower local nonprofits and significantly enhance their ability to serve our communities,” Dawn Rowe, San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chairman and 3rd District Supervisor, said in a statement. “Because these funds revolve back into the program, we can continually reinvest in even more organizations, magnifying the long-term positive impacts across our county.”

According to the county, nonprofits often face difficulty getting timely funding because of delays in reimbursement from state or federal grants. As a result organizations often have to postpone facility upgrades, equipment purchases or the hiring of critical personnel.

The revolving loan fund provides a financial buffer that can enable nonprofits to quickly qualify for larger state and federal grants by providing the upfront capital needed for matching-fund obligations or to do “necessary capacity-building projects,” according to the county statement. As a new perpetual resource, organizations’ loan repayments to the loan fund create new lending opportunities that sets the stage for continuous growth and resilience in the nonprofit sector.

“By directly investing in our nonprofit community, we’re ensuring critical services reach residents when and where they’re most needed,” Board of Supervisors Vice Chair and 5th District Supervisor Joe Baca Jr. said in a statement. “These loans will allow organizations to expand and improve services, creating stronger communities throughout San Bernardino County.”

Loans will be awarded based on an applying organization’s operational strength, financial stability and repayment capacity, officials said. Priority goes to nonprofits that significantly improve the delivery of services and address pressing local challenges, particularly in underserved and low-income communities. The funding priority is for services to the county’s most underserved “vulnerable populations,” such as seniors, children 5 years old and younger, foster children and youth, people experiencing homelessness and residents of low-income communities.

“We are delighted and grateful that the county has approved this investment for our nonprofits,” Inland Empire Community Foundation CEO and President Michelle Decker said in a statement. “A revolving loan fund for working capital to help nonprofits grow is an innovative idea and new for the Inland Empire, so the board has done something special and we look forward to partnering with county to help build nonprofit capacity to meet more needs of county residents.”

The county will also provide technical assistance to loan fund applicants and loan borrowers, officials said.

The IECF intends to actively market the loan fund in an effort to attract further private investment to make the fund more robust, according to the county.

Information on loan terms, how to apply and other loan details were not immediately available.

The IECF was founded in 1941 and is the oldest philanthropic organization serving Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

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Michael Gordon, 40, was reported to the SBSD just before 3:30 a.m. Wednesday for allegedly “beating a female and dragging her inside a residence in the 17800 block of Taylor Avenue,” officials said in a news release.

When deputies arrived, the door was open, and they “identified themselves and carefully entered the home under exigent circumstances,” officials added.

Inside, deputies spotted Gordon and a woman hiding under a blanket.

“Gordon was holding the female victim against her will and concealing a massive head injury,” the release said. “Gordon was also attempting to cover up a large amount of blood gushing from the back of her head.”

That woman was then rendered medical aid and taken to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center for “a severe head wound and other serious injuries.” She remains hospitalized.

A witness informed deputies that Gordon had assaulted the woman earlier that morning as well, this time in front of a home in the 10100 block of Alder Avenue.

“She was struck in the back of the head with a metal pole which resulted in a serious head injury,” the release said. “Gordon was able to lure the female victim to the secondary location where he assaulted her again outside and eventually drug her inside the residence until deputies arrived.”

Inside the home, Gordon tried to cover up the wounds, forcing the woman to shower to wash away blood and hiding her blood-soaked clothing, investigators said.

Gordon was booked into the West Valley Detention Center. Jail records indicate he faces charges of aggravated mayhem, kidnapping, making threats with the intent to terrorize and assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm.

His bail is set at $1 million, and he’s due to appear in Rancho Superior Court on Friday.

Anyone with information is asked to call 909-356-6767.

To report information anonymously, call WeTip at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or visit wetip.com.

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The incident began shortly after 4 p.m. Sunday in Loma Linda. The cell phone seller, whose name and age were not released, agreed to meet up with a potential buyer after the two connected via Facebook Marketplace.

The meeting was set for the 23000 block of Redlands Blvd.

When the victim arrived, he was approached by 20-year-old Gerardo Hernandez of Jurupa Valley and 21-year-old Manuel Corral of Ontario, according to the sheriff’s department.

Hernandez snatched the cell phone and refused to pay. Corral drew a black handgun and pointed it at the victim, the department reported.

“The victim feared for his life and fled for his safety,” the agency said.

The alleged robbers got into a Honda Civic and took off.

The incident was reported, and a notification was sent to nearby law enforcement agencies regarding the suspect vehicle.

About an hour after the alleged robbery, the Ontario Police Department stopped the Honda Civic.

Inside the car were Hernandez and Corral, along with Ontario resident Fabian Corral, 20, and 21-year-old Reymundo Hernandez of Jurupa Valley. It’s unclear whether the men are related.

“Officers located a loaded black handgun inside the vehicle along with the victim’s cellular telephone,” the sheriff’s department said.

All four suspects were booked into San Bernardino County jail on suspicion of robbery and conspiracy charges, both felonies.

The post Facebook Cell Phone Sale Turns Violent In Inland Empire appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Between Dec. 7 and 14, authorities recovered $10,281.80 in property and made 15 felony arrests. The remaining 13 arrestees received misdemeanor charges.

The theft operation was conducted at Victoria Gardens Shopping Center in Rancho Cucamonga and retail stores across Chino Hills, according to the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department.

The bust was coordinated in response to rising retail crime thefts across the Inland Empire, where police say business owners are at risk of falling victim to organized crime groups and smash-and-grab operations.

It was in November of last year when the sheriff’s department started to take note of a rise in incidents involving robberies, burglaries, shelve sweeps and vandalisms.

“These violent criminals terrorize the citizens of San Bernardino County by utilizing intimidation tactics and a mob mentality that creates an unsafe and uncomfortable shopping environment for our residents,” deputies wrote in a statement on Tuesday.

Funding for the sweep came from the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, according to the statement.

The post 28 Arrested In Inland Empire Retail Bust, Police Say appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

That includes 216 deaths in custody in San Bernardino County and 226 deaths in Riverside County, according to Inland Empire Lives Lost, a report released in early October by Care First California. 

“Advocates across the state are demanding accountability for in-custody deaths as there is a tendency by law enforcement to downplay or outright deny their role in these deaths,” the report stated.

The authors analyzed public records from the Attorney General’s Office from January 2011 through December 2022.They counted at least 2,312 people who died while in custody in California. About 19% of those deaths occurred in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, although the Inland Empire makes up about 12% of the state’s population.

Its disproportionate death rate is consistent with a CalMatters investigation by CalMatters reporters Nigel Duara and Jeremia Kimelman. They concluded some of the state’s deadliest jails are in Riverside County and counted 45 people who have died in lockup there since Jan. 1, 2021.

The most dangerous period for inmates is before they get through trial, Care First reported.  Statewide only 14% of deaths happened after sentencing. Nearly a quarter of deaths happened during arrests, and 40% took place during the first week in jail, the report found.

Why is that first week so deadly? 

“When you’re bringing someone in who has documented mental health concerns and they’re put in an isolated and not well monitored cell, the early days of incarceration are vulnerable,” said Marcella Rosen, media coordinator for the nonprofit. 

The Lives Lost report didn’t analyze causes of death because of disputes over how they’re recorded and categorized.

“A lot are listed as natural deaths, and we have problems with that terminology since most deaths are preventable if given proper care,” Rosen said. 

Broadly speaking, people often die in custody from suicide, overdose, disruption of medication or injuries sustained during arrest, she said. 

The organization recommends several ways to prevent those deaths, including ending the cash bail system, enforcing the right to an immediate trial, creating diversion programs for people with mental health or substance use conditions and oversight by coroners who are separate from sheriff’s departments, Rosen said.

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