Prisoners: Self-harm

(asked on 4th May 2020) - View Source

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many instances of self-harm by prisoners have been recorded in (a) February, (b) March and (c) April 2020.


Answered by
Lucy Frazer Portrait
Lucy Frazer
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
This question was answered on 13th May 2020

Data about self-harm in prisons in England and Wales is published quarterly. The most recent figures, up to December 2019, can be viewed at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/safety-in-custody-quarterly-update-to-december-2019. Figures for January to March 2020 will be published on 30 July, and figures for April to June on 29 October.

Self-harm remains a huge concern. This is why we must continue to make prisons safer and ensure prisoners can access the support they need.

We have refreshed our partnership with the Samaritans by awarding a grant of £500,000 each year until 2021. This supports the specialist Listeners scheme, through which selected prisoners are trained to provide emotional support to their fellow prisoners.

We are also improving the effectiveness of the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork procedures to better support those at risk of harming themselves.

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