Suicide and serious violence have risen by nearly a quarter in men’s prisons in England and Wales, with self-harm skyrocketing to an all-time high in the women’s estate, as the government scrambles to ease the strain on jails overcrowded to breaking point.
Ninety-one male inmates died by suicide in the 12 months to September – a rise of 24 per cent on the previous year, and the worst toll since 111 people died in 2016, a record high year which prompted the government to launch an internal inquiry.
