Reoffending and ‘needless deaths’: The harrowing story of UK prisons in 2015

A huge political blame game has erupted after the release of reports highlighting “shocking” reoffending rates and “horrendous” figures relating to deaths and killings inside UK prisons.

Nearly half of all offenders leaving prison return to crime within a year of release – this rises to two thirds in the case of young offenders.

Meanwhile Ministry of Justice (MoJ) statistics reveal that the number of people who have died, been assaulted or injured themselves in prison has risen to its highest level for a decade.

Two thirds of the 267 people who died in prisons in England and Wales in the last 12 months took their own lives while this number also included seven homicides – more than double the figure recorded in any year since 2006.

While the Government points to a programme of ongoing reforms involving probation and education, critics claim prisoners will “continue to die unnecessarily” in jail unless prompter action is taken.

Reformer Lord Harris said there was “still no sign of a government response” to recommendations in his report – Changing Prisons, Saving Lives – which was submitted to the MoJ in April and published in July.

The new reoffending figures show in 2013 that 45.8 per cent of adult offenders leaving prison went on to reoffend within a year of release. Among young offenders, the rate is 66.5 per cent.

Overall, 125,219 crimes were committed by former prisoners within a year of release.

Prisons Minister Andrew Selous was quick to condemn the quarterly statistics. He said: “These shocking figures show why our reforms are so important.

“We cannot put up with a situation where so many prisoners commit yet more crime, and cause yet more misery to victims, almost as soon as they are released.

“We are determined to provide prisoners with education, work and an opportunity to redeem themselves. That way we can cut crime and better protect the public.”

In reply Lord Falconer, Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary, said: “These are damning figures that once again lay bare the true state of our prisons and the damage that the Tories have done to our criminal justice system.

“Violent, under-staffed prisons will never be able to rehabilitate prisoners, challenge re-offending behaviour or protect victims of crime.

“If Ministers are serious about reform the rhetoric needs to match the reality and they need to urgently tackle the chaos in our prisons.”

The government’s measures include reforms to the way offenders are managed in the community so that almost all offenders now receive support on release, including help and advice on resettlement, employment and finance.

Working with voluntary, third and private sectors, newly-formed Community Rehabilitation Companies are helping offenders turn away from crime, and making sure for the first time that those sentenced to less than 12 months receive support on release.

A second avenue of approach has seen Justice Secretary Michael Gove launch a review of prison education, led by head teacher Dame Sally Coates, to identify how to improve prisoner learning.

The MoJ Safety in Custody report shows 186 prisoners took their own lives in the last 12 months – which equates, over the last two years, to one suicide every four days in England and Wales.

The number of self-injury incidents recorded in prisons rose by 21 per cent in the 12 months to the end of June 2015. The number of serious assaults on prisoners and staff rose by 31 per cent and 42 per cent respectively over the same period.

The increase in the number of deaths, assaults and self-injury incidents has occurred at a time when the prison population has increased, overcrowding has become more acute and there have been deep cuts to staffing levels.

The Howard League and Centre for Mental Health have embarked on a joint programme of work on suicides in prison, supported by The Monument Trust, designed to find ways to end the death toll for good.

Andrew Neilson, director of campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform, said the “horrendous statistic