BROMLEY BRIEFINGS PRISON FACTFILE - Prison Reform Trust

Prison suicideThe suicide rate for men in prison is fivetimes greater than that for men in thecommunity. Boys aged 15-17 are even morelikely, 18 times more likely, to kill themselves inprison than in the community. 61There were 67 apparent self-inflicted deathsamong prisoners in England and Wales in2006 – a ten year low. The rate is 90.3 per100,000 prisoners. 62However, the number of self-inflicted deathsso far notified to the Prison Reform Trustbetween 1 January 2007 and 29 November2007 is 82.HM Prisons Inspectorate found that evenwith improvements in safer custody, malelocal prisons accounted for 73% of deaths incustody though they hold about 36% of thepopulation. Local prisons continue to be at thesharp end of overcrowding pressure. 63Men recently released from prison were eighttimes more likely, than the generalpopulation, to commit suicide. Women were36 times more likely to kill themselves. 64Of the 82 suicides from 1 January to 29November 2007, seven have been women, upfrom three in 2006. Six young people aged 18-21 have taken their own lives compared to twoin 2006. No children had died in custody sincetwo deaths in 2005. On 29 November 2007notification was received of the death of a 15year old boy in HMYOI Lancaster Farms. 65Almost one third of suicides occur within thefirst week of someone arriving in custody andone in seven within two days of admission. 66Nearly two-thirds of those who commitsuicide in prison have a history of drugmisuse and nearly a third have a history ofalcohol misuse. 67One study found that 72% of people whocommit suicide in prison had a history ofmental disorder. 57% had symptoms suggestiveof mental disorder at reception into prison. 68One in five suicides take place in prisonhealthcare or segregation units. 6975% of suicides in prisons between 2000 and2004 took place in prisons that wereovercrowded in that month. 70In all, 20% of men and almost 40% of womenentering custody say they have previouslyattempted suicide. According to thegovernment’s Social Exclusion Unit, more than 50prisoners commit suicide shortly after releaseeach year. 71Number of self-inflicted deaths in Prison Serviceestablishments 1997 - 2006Year Number Rate of suicides per 100,0001997 65 1111998 76 1271999 89 1402000 80 1242001 73 1102002 95 1302003 94 1262004 95 1272005 78 1032006 67 90Total 74861. Fazel, Seena et al, Suicides in male prisons in England and Wales, 1978-2003, The Lancet, Vol 366, 200562. NOMS, Safer Custody News, Jan/Feb 200763. HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales, Annual Report 2005/2006, 30 January 2007, p.14 (the reporting year runs from September 2005 toAugust 2006)64. Pratt, D. Piper, M, Appleby, L. Webb, R. Shaw, J. Suicide in recently released prisoners: a population-based cohort study, The Lancet - Vol. 368, Issue 9530, 8 July2006, pages 119-12365. NOMS, Safer Custody News, Jan/Feb 2007 and notifications received by Prison Reform Trust from NOMS66. Joint Committee on Human Rights, Deaths in Custody, Third Report of Session 2004-200567. Ibid.68. Shaw, J. Appleby, L. and Baker, D. Safer Prisons, A National Study of Prison Suicides 1999-2000 by the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide bypeople with Mental Illness (2003), London: Stationery Office69. Joint Committee on Human Rights, Deaths in Custody, Third Report of Session 2004-200570. Hansard, House of Commons, 7 November 200571. Social Exclusion Unit (2002) Reducing re-offending by ex-prisoners, London: Social Exclusion Unitwww.prisonreformtrust.org.uk 9