The Catholic Church’s liaison bishop for prisons has called for the Government to speed up its plans for prison reform, following a damning report into self harm and suicide among inmates.
Bishop Richard Moth described the figures released yesterday (26 January) as “shocking”. The report by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) showed that the highest number of suicides in prison was recorded last year in England and Wales.
A record 119 prisoners killed themselves in 2016, an increase of 29 on the previous year, according to government data.
The bishop said staff shortages and overcrowding were major contributing factors. He called on the Prime Minister to “move as quickly as possible on its reform agenda for our prisons”.
“Each death represents a tragedy for the person themselves, their family and the prison staff who try to help. Allowing our prisons to get to this stage is unacceptable”, he said.
In addition to the prisoner safety statistics, the report also highlighted a more general trend of violence, including a 40 per cent rise in assaults on prison staff. Prisoner-on-prisoner attacks increased by 28 per cent and recorded incidents of self-harm rose to a total of 37,784. According to the report, incidents of self harm were twice as common in female-only prisons as male ones.
The rise in assaults was attributed by the MoJ to staff reductions and running costs, and an increase in gang culture and drug use in prisons.
In a statement released with the report, Justice Secretary Elizabeth Truss, said: “These are long-standing issues that will not be resolved in weeks or months but our wholescale reforms will lay the groundwork to transform our prisons, reduce reoffending and make our communities safer.”
Prisons in England in Wales are at 98 per cent capacity, with 85,058 inmates, according to latest figures. The vast majority of inmates - 81,102 - are men.
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