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Prisoner suicide report calls for action on young inmates | Prisoner suicide report calls for action on young inmates |
(35 minutes later) | |
Prisons must do more to stop young inmates taking their own lives, a government investigator has said. | Prisons must do more to stop young inmates taking their own lives, a government investigator has said. |
In a report on 80 self-inflicted deaths of inmates aged 18-24 over seven years in England and Wales, Nigel Newcomen, Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, raised issues such as "poor" risk assessments. | |
He noted the case of a prisoner with disabilities who killed himself after being "tricked" into leaving his cell. | |
The Prison Service said preventing suicides was a "key priority". | |
The report found: | The report found: |
Mr Newcomen also noted that one in five of the young adults sampled were foreign nationals. | Mr Newcomen also noted that one in five of the young adults sampled were foreign nationals. |
His report said that, for those serving longer sentences, the possibility of deportation was "often a source of distress but communication with immigration authorities was often formal and bureaucratic". | His report said that, for those serving longer sentences, the possibility of deportation was "often a source of distress but communication with immigration authorities was often formal and bureaucratic". |
'Unfortunate consequence' | 'Unfortunate consequence' |
The 24-year-old who was "tricked" became distressed when he learned that he was being moved from a prison in Lewes, Sussex, to the Isle of Wight. | The 24-year-old who was "tricked" became distressed when he learned that he was being moved from a prison in Lewes, Sussex, to the Isle of Wight. |
The new prison was a long way from his friends and family and two fellow inmates who apparently helped him with his disability, the report said. | The new prison was a long way from his friends and family and two fellow inmates who apparently helped him with his disability, the report said. |
It revealed that staff at the Sussex prison lured him out of his cell by telling him a senior prison officer wanted to speak to him in his office. | It revealed that staff at the Sussex prison lured him out of his cell by telling him a senior prison officer wanted to speak to him in his office. |
The report said the man had a history of self-harm, and hanged himself shortly after arriving on the Isle of Wight. | The report said the man had a history of self-harm, and hanged himself shortly after arriving on the Isle of Wight. |
The ombudsman concluded that transferring prisoners is an "unfortunate consequence" of overcrowding, but the authorities should consider the effect on vulnerable inmates. | The ombudsman concluded that transferring prisoners is an "unfortunate consequence" of overcrowding, but the authorities should consider the effect on vulnerable inmates. |
Other cases noted in the report included a 19-year-old prisoner who killed himself after being assaulted and verbally abused by prisoners who had read about his offence in a newspaper. | Other cases noted in the report included a 19-year-old prisoner who killed himself after being assaulted and verbally abused by prisoners who had read about his offence in a newspaper. |
In another example, an inmate with a history of mental health problems and previous suicide attempts discovered his girlfriend had ended their relationship and, on the same afternoon, that a close relative had died. | In another example, an inmate with a history of mental health problems and previous suicide attempts discovered his girlfriend had ended their relationship and, on the same afternoon, that a close relative had died. |
Despite this, his level of risk was never reviewed and two days later he was found hanged in his cell. | Despite this, his level of risk was never reviewed and two days later he was found hanged in his cell. |
The report also found that a fifth of the 18 to 24-year-olds examined had experienced bullying in the month before their death, compared to 13% of other prisoners. | The report also found that a fifth of the 18 to 24-year-olds examined had experienced bullying in the month before their death, compared to 13% of other prisoners. |
Mr Newcomen recommended that prisons act "more robustly" over bullying allegations and refer people more quickly for mental health treatment. | |
'Festering in cells' | |
Deborah Coles, co-director of Inquest, which advises people bereaved by a death in custody, said: "These deaths are the most extreme outcome of a system that fails some of society's most troubled and disadvantaged young people, many just out of childhood." | Deborah Coles, co-director of Inquest, which advises people bereaved by a death in custody, said: "These deaths are the most extreme outcome of a system that fails some of society's most troubled and disadvantaged young people, many just out of childhood." |
Labour's shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan, who is hosting a conference on the "worsening state of jails", said current evidence about the prison system "points towards meltdown". | Labour's shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan, who is hosting a conference on the "worsening state of jails", said current evidence about the prison system "points towards meltdown". |
He said ministers were in "total denial" about the problems, including rising numbers of inmates dying and prisoners "festering in their cells" instead of receiving training. | He said ministers were in "total denial" about the problems, including rising numbers of inmates dying and prisoners "festering in their cells" instead of receiving training. |
In 2013-14, 88 prisoners of all ages in England and Wales took their own lives - up from 52 in 2012-13. | |
A Prison Service spokesman said the reasons for any suicide were "complex and individual" and prevention was a "key priority". | |
"We have a high proportion of people with mental health issues in the prison population, and we are working very hard to understand the recent fluctuations in self-inflicted deaths," he said. | |
"We always have and we always will ensure there are enough staff to deliver safe and effective prison regimes." | |
Have you or someone you know been affected by the issues in this story? You can email us at Haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject 'Prisons'. | Have you or someone you know been affected by the issues in this story? You can email us at Haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject 'Prisons'. |