Dying whilst on probation: a scoping review of mortality amongst those under community justice supervision.

This article focuses on mortality rates and contributing factors among individuals under community justice supervision, such as probation or parole. A scoping review of 13 retrospective studies from five countries found that mortality rates in this population are consistently higher than those of the general population and often exceed rates seen in custodial settings. Key factors associated with increased mortality include history of drug use, previous suicide attempts, prior imprisonment (including length of incarceration and experiences such as hospitalization or solitary confinement), with drug-related and self-inflicted deaths being prominent causes. The review highlights significant gaps in data, particularly regarding individuals under community supervision without prior imprisonment and the lack of standardized mortality surveillance incorporating demographic and protected characteristics. It concludes that enhanced mortality monitoring and integrated public health interventions within community justice services are needed to address rising premature deaths in this population.