The performance of quantum dots-in-a-well infrared photodetectors (DWELL IPs) has been studied by means of interband and intersubband photocurrent measurements as well as dark current measurements. Using interband photocurrent measurements, substantial escape of electrons from lower lying states in the DWELL structure at large biases was revealed. Furthermore, a significant variation in the escape probability from energy states in the DWELL structure with applied bias was observed. These facts can explain the strong temperature and bias dependence of both photocurrent and dark currents in DWELL IPs.