The growing number of deaths from natural causes in prison custody adds urgency to the need to consider what influences the behaviour of prison staff towards dying prisoners. This article identifies the effects on prisoners, their families and prison staff of defining quality end-of-life care as that which meets the expected requirements of an anticipated post-death investigation. Using data collected in two English prisons via ethnographic methods, it explores the practical consequences, emotional effects and bureaucratisation of death arising from the anticipation of an investigation. Taking its lead from research participants, it focuses on the influence of anticipating an investigation by the Prison and Probation Ombudsman, but also the effects of expecting police and coronial investigations. Analysing responses to anticipating an investigation reveals consequences for the care of prisoners, their families and prison staff, which are arguably unintended by the investigating bodies.

监狱羁押期间因自然原因死亡的人数不断增加，迫切需要考虑是什么影响了监狱工作人员对待垂死囚犯的行为。本文确定了将优质临终关怀定义为满足预期死后调查的预期要求的对囚犯、他们的家人和监狱工作人员的影响。使用通过人种学方法在两所英国监狱中收集的数据，它探讨了因调查预期而导致的死亡的实际后果、情感影响和官僚化。它以研究参与者为主导，重点关注预期监狱和缓刑监察员调查的影响，以及预期警察和验尸官调查的影响。