News / Human Rights

England, Wales suicide rate highest since 2007: Data

Thursday, 22 January 2015 8:24 AM [ Last Update: Thursday, 22 January 2015 8:24 AM ]

Recent figures show the prison suicide rate are up in England and the Wales. (File photo)

New figures show that the rate of prison suicides in England and Wales reached its highest rate in 2014 compared to the last seven years.

According to the Howard League for Penal Reform, figures expected to be released by the Ministry of Justice next week show that 82 suicides took place in 2014, compared to the average of 60 suicides per year from 2008 until 2013.

Most of the suicides in 2014 were recorded in two of the largest and most overcrowded prisons, with four happening in southern London’s Wandsworth prison and another four at the Elmley prison, in the South East England county of Kent.

Although both prisons were designed for 943 people, the first jail is home to 1,633 prisoners, while the second holds 1,231.

Frances Cook, with the Howard League for Penal Reform, said government cuts played a role in the suicide rate, adding that the figures to be released by the Justice Ministry fail to shed light on the true extent of the misery suffered by prisoners and their family members.

“It is evident that people are dying as a direct result of the cuts to the number of staff, particularly more experienced staff, in every prison. The government has chosen to allow the prison population to increase whilst it cuts staff, and that has led to an increase in people dying by suicide,” Cooks said.

However, British ministers insist that the suicide rate in prisons remains below the rates in 2005 and 2007. They also reject alleged evidence linking staff levels, type of prison or overcrowding to the number of prison suicides.

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