This article presents data from a study on 59 deaths in Dutch police s
tations in the period 1983-1993. Twenty deaths were caused by suicide,
19 by intoxications, 8 by natural causes, and 12 by other or unknown
causes. The mortality rate, suicide rate, and poisoning rate in police
stations were higher than in penitentiary institutions and in the gen
eral population. The morality rate was lower in large police stations
than in small police stations. Identification of deviant detainees see
med less problematic than handling these deviant detainees. It is argu
ed that exceptional detainees without serious charges should be transf
erred to Health Care services. Other structural preventive measures ar
e also discussed.