Louisiana Leads All States With the Most Prison Deaths

At 1.5 million, the USA has the largest number of prisoners in the world. In addition to overcrowding and ever-increasing costs, America is also faced with a growing elderly prison population.

In a recent survey of America's federal and state prisons by insidegov.com, our home state of Louisiana leads he nation in prison deaths from all causes with a mortality rate of 479 per 100,000.

According to the study, cancer (154 per 100,000), heart disease (129 per 100,000) and liver disease (39 per 100,000) are the leading causes of death annually, AIDS is fourth on the list. Prison violence is the eighth leading cause out of nine.

1) Louisiana

2) West Virginia

3) Tennessee

4) Kentucky

5) Arkansas

6) Mississippi

7) Pennsylvania

8) Oklahoma

9) Massachusetts

10) Alabama

11) Florida

12) South Carolina