Figures from sheriff's offices around the state show seven people died at county jails in Utah last year, down from a record 25 the year before.
The Standard-Examiner reports last year it requested 2016's jail death records from Utah's 29 counties. Twenty-three deaths were reported. Two more jail-related deaths were discovered with additional record requests to the Weber and Davis county sheriff's offices. Those two deaths had not been counted because the inmates died later at hospitals, not in the jails.
A similar survey for 2017 deaths yielded answers from 20 counties. Nine others did not respond to emailed and mailed record requests from the Standard-Examiner.
