Prison Suicides (Hansard, 10 December 1997)

§ Ms Roseanna Cunningham
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the numbers of(a) female prisoners held, (b) female deaths in prison and (c) female suicides in prison in each of the last 10 years. [19835]

§ Ms Quin
[holding answer 9 December 1997]: The following table shows the numbers of female prisoners held, female deaths (other than self-inflicted) in prison and female self-inflicted deaths in prison in each of the last 10 years.

Year Female¹ prisoners held Female deaths Female self-inflicted deaths Total female deaths

1988 1,789 0 0 0

1989 1,767 0 2 2

1990 1,597 1 1 2

1991 1,561 0 0 0

1992 1,577 0 2 2

1993 1,561 2 1 3

1994 1,811 0 1 1

1995 1,979 1 2 3

1996 2,262 2 2 4

1997² 2,926 1 3 4

¹ Average female prisoner population.

² Figures as at 8 December 1997.

Not all self-inflicted deaths conclude with a verdict of suicide.

587W

§ Mr. Gunnell
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each financial year since 1992–93 and for the present year to date(a) the total number of suicides in establishments which are his responsibility and (b) the numbers of those who were aged under 21 years at the time of death. [18841]

1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 ¹1997–98

Total number of self-inflicted deaths 43 47 65 59 65 50

Numbers of prisoners who were aged under 21 years 6 4 8 7 16 5

¹ Figures for 1997–98 as at 1 December 1997. Not all self-inflicted deaths conclude with a verdict of suicide.

§ Ms Roseanna Cunningham
To ask the secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department has undertaken into(a) prison suicides and (b) female prison suicides in the last five years. [19838]

§ Ms Quin
[holding answer 9 December 1997]: During 1992, the Prison Service reviewed existing research and best practice in suicide prevention. This review formed the basis for the revised suicide awareness strategy and is described in "The Way Forward".
The revised strategy was piloted in 1993 prior to implementation in 1994. The results of this research were published in the Guidance Pack "Caring for the Suicidal in Custody".
A research and development group on suicide and self-injury at Prison Service headquarters acts as a forum for formulating and co-ordinating research into suicide and self-injury in forensic settings.
Routine research, reviewing patterns and trends of completed suicides is undertaken, and a range of research has been conducted, including: the effectiveness of prisoner Listener schemes; the effect of staff attitudes in managing suicidal behaviour; audits of completed suicides; suicides amongst life sentence prisoners; developing risk screening procedures amongst young offenders; evaluation of the 1994 revised strategy; the impact of staff training; reception and induction procedures within local prisons and communication of risk information between criminal justice agencies. Current commissioned research includes a project being undertaken at the University of Kent at Canterbury, examining current practices of recording and monitoring self-injury and suicidal behaviours, with the objective of identifying more effective methods of management.
The majority of research conducted on suicide and self-injury amongst female prisoners has been undertaken locally and includes research into the links between coping styles and suicidal behaviour; an evaluation of cognitive behavioural interventions in reducing risk of suicide; an examination of the distinctions between staff and women prisoners' perceptions of self-injury and a review of completed suicides by female prisoners since 1989.
The 1997 publication "Suicide and Self-Injury in Prisons" (by the British Psychological Society) includes an overview of recent and current research in the area.

§ Ms Roseanna Cunningham
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanisms he has in place to provide suicide counselling and monitoring for female prisoners. [19836]
588W

§ Ms Quin
The total number of self-inflicted deaths in Prison Service establishments for each financial year since 1992–93 and for the present year to date, together with the numbers of those who were aged under 21 years at the time of death, are as follows:

§ Ms Quin
[holding answer 9 December 1997]: The Prison Service is actively involved in identifying and caring for all prisoners, both female and male, who are at risk of suicide and/or self-harm. Their strategy on caring for the suicidal in custody involves being able to identify and support prisoners at risk of suicidal behaviour. Every prison has a local Suicide Awareness Team which has oversight of the strategy in their establishment.
The strategy involves the Samaritans, who befriend prisoners in crisis through visits to prison and by phone. Over the last five years, the Samaritans have been actively involved in setting up Listener/Befriender schemes in prisons where selected prisoners are trained to provide peer group support for fellow prisoners in crisis. These schemes have been effective in reducing instances of suicide and self-harm

Year	Female¹ prisoners held	Female deaths	Female self-inflicted deaths	Total female deaths
1988	1,789	0	0	0
1989	1,767	0	2	2
1990	1,597	1	1	2
1991	1,561	0	0	0
1992	1,577	0	2	2
1993	1,561	2	1	3
1994	1,811	0	1	1
1995	1,979	1	2	3
1996	2,262	2	2	4
1997²	2,926	1	3	4
¹ Average female prisoner population.
² Figures as at 8 December 1997.
Not all self-inflicted deaths conclude with a verdict of suicide.

	1992–93	1993–94	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97	¹1997–98
Total number of self-inflicted deaths	43	47	65	59	65	50
Numbers of prisoners who were aged under 21 years	6	4	8	7	16	5
¹ Figures for 1997–98 as at 1 December 1997. Not all self-inflicted deaths conclude with a verdict of suicide.