Prison self-harm incidents in England and Wales hit a record high, averaging one every seven minutes, with assaults on staff increasing by 30% in 2024.
Self-harm incidents in prisons in England and Wales have reached a record high, with one occurring every seven minutes, totaling 76,000 cases in the year to June 2024. Assaults on prison staff also surged by 30%, reaching 10,281 incidents, the highest in 21 years. Nearly 1,000 of these were serious, with a 24% increase in serious assaults per 1,000 prisoners. Officials describe the situation as a "crisis" needing urgent reforms for safer, more effective rehabilitation.
October 31, 2024
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