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Prison officers calls for urgent action on Britain’s bloodbath prisons (3 November 2016)

Date: 03/11/2016
Duncan Lewis, Crime Solicitors, Prison officers calls for urgent action on Britain’s bloodbath prisons

Steve Gillan of the Prison Officers Association has warned the new Justice Secretary Liz Truss that prison officers could take control of prisons and impose their own working practices, rather than following government procedures, because of the increase in violence inside Britain’s jails.

Speaking to BBC News, Mr Gillan cited new figures for the rising tide of violence in Britain’s jails, released last week.

On Thursday (03/11/16) Liz Truss is expected to announce major reforms to prisons, including an increase in staffing levels and other measures to make prisons safer. However, the warning comes after Ministry of Justice figures seen by the Howard League for Penal Reform reveal that the number of people dying in prison has risen by 21% in a year.

Statistics published by the Ministry of Justice last week show that the death rate in prisons in England and Wales rose to almost one a day – a record high of 324 in the 12 months to the end of September 2016, including 107 prisoners who took their own lives. The suicide rate in jails has risen by 13% cent to “unprecedented levels”, with the number of suicides in prisons nearly doubling since 2011-2012, when 57 people died by suicide in prison.

Official records of assaults and self-injury incidents show that prison safety is declining at a faster rate year by year, with the total number of assaults recorded in prisons increasing by more than 34% to 23,775 – around 65 per day – in the 12 months to the end of June 2016.

Assaults recorded in men’s prisons rose to a record high at 22,915 – an increase of 69% in only three years. Assaults in women’s prisons have also risen, increasing by 25% in a year.

In the 12 months to the end of June 2016, a total of 36,440 incidents of self-injury were recorded in prisons – equivalent to 100 per day, representing a rise of 26% compared to the previous year.

The number of incidents of self-injury by men in prisons has more than doubled in six years.

Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, Frances Crook, said:

“The Ministry of Justice is presiding over a bloodbath of assaults, suicides and self-injury in prisons.

“Cutting staff and prison budgets while allowing the number of people behind bars to grow unchecked has created a toxic mix of violence, death and human misery.

“The Secretary of State for Justice, Elizabeth Truss, has declared that making prisons safer is her priority…but today’s figures show that we cannot wait for legislation – bold and radical action is needed now to stop the death toll rising further.

“The Howard League is about to publish a plan of action to tackle the immediate problems – we will be suggesting that small behaviour change by magistrates, prisons and probation could ease the pressure on prisons and save lives.”

The Howard League for Penal Reform is the oldest penal reform charity in the world. It is a national charity working for less crime, safer communities and fewer people in prison.

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