Latest editorial
Prison self-harm hits record high, official figures show
[Falkenpost/Creative Commons]
SELF-HARM in prisons has hit a record high with the rate having doubled over the last decade, official figures revealed today.
Deaths in custody are also on the rise, with 317 fatalities in the 12 months to March this year, according to Ministry of Justice data.
The department said there were 55,598 incidents of self-harm in 2018 — equivalent to one every nine-and-a-half minutes.
Similar stories
Working in a high-risk sector, prison officers’ calls for proper PPE must be heeded – and the POA will be fighting to ensure effective protection at work is delivered, writes MARK FAIRHURST
