The author compared raw death rates & standardized mortality ratios for over 1,250 deaths of community offenders & 240 deaths of prisoners during 1996-1997 with the general population rates from the Office of National Statistics. She concludes prisoners are vulnerable to suicide/self-inflicted death, with a death rate 7-8 times higher than for the general population. She also estimates community offenders are vulnerable to violent death; at a similar or slightly higher rate for suicide/self-inflicted death & at a much higher rate for accidental death & homicide. The report discusses policy initiatives needed to reduce the incidence of violent deaths in these populations. (101 refs.)