Sickle Cell and Deaths in Custody

Sickle cell is a multi-system disorder that in the USA and the UK predominantly, but not exclusively, affects those of black and minority ethnic communities. The disorder is not widely understood, so, when a sudden death of a black man in official custody is blamed on sickle cell trait (for example, Martin Lee Anderson in the USA or Alton Manning in the UK) the worlds of health, criminal justice, and black politics collide.

This ground-breaking book examines:
The myths about sickle cell disease
The context of racism in the criminal justice systems in the UK and USA
The misuse of sickle cell trait to explain away sudden deaths in custody
The historic neglect of health care within prisons in the UK and USA
The lack of care for those with sickle cell disease within the criminal justice system
The lessons both for criminal justice systems, and for human rights and sickle cell campaigners.

The book will interest:
Members of the sickle cell community, including families, voluntary groups, and sickle cell chapters
Health professionals including doctors, nurses, counsellors, and specialist sickle cell workers
Members of the legal profession, including those specializing in inquests, human rights, prison law, criminal law, actions against the police, immigration, and clinical negligence
Those involved in the criminal justice system, including prison, police, court and probation services.
Coroners and medical examiners
Human rights, civil liberties, and justice organizations
Advocacy agencies representing black communities
University lecturers in criminology, sociology, social policy, 'race' and ethnic relations, law, nursing, and medicine