HL Deb 12 December 1985 vol 469 cc454-5WA
Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many suicides and serious self-inflicted wounds there have been in prisons, borstals and detention centres in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and whether they will break-down the figures between types of institution, long and short sentences, and between the various jurisdictions of the United Kingdom, also expressing suicides and serious wounds as a percentage of total prisoners in each category.

Lord Glenarthur

The available information is as follows:

Suicides
Prisons and Remand Centres
Year Sentenced inmates Unsentenced and civil inmates
Over 4 years Over 18 months up to and including 4 years Up to and including 18 months
1980 7 (0.11%) 2 (0.02%) 0 12 (0.19%)
1981 4 (0.7%) 2 (0.02%) 1 (0.01%) 8 (0.11%)
1982 6 (0.11%) 1 (0.01%) 1 (0.01%) 9 (0.12%)
1983 1 (0.02%) 7 (0.08%) 3 (0.03%) 9*(0.12%)
1984 6 (0.10%) 3 (0.03%) 1 (0.01%) 13*(0.14%)
*Including in each year one prisoner who died in outside hospital as a result of a suicide attempt made before his reception into prison custody.

Borstals

  • 1980 0
  • 1981 1 (0.02%)
  • 1982 1 (0.02%)
  • 1983 3 (0.02%)

Youth Custody and Detention Centres

Nil in the period 1980–1984.

Figures in brackets represent the number of suicides expressed as a percentage of the average number of inmates in the category for the year.

Self inflicted wounds
Number of occasions of non-fatal self injury:
1980 1,878 (4.46%)
1981 1,885 (4.35%)
1982 1,410 (3.23%)
1983 Prisons and remand centres 1,009 (2.87%)
Youth custody centres and borstals 378 (5.70%)
Detention centres 22 (1.29%)
1984 Prisons and remand centres 1,266 (3.59%)
Youth custody centres 425 (6.23%)
Detention centres 26 (1.75%)

Figures for 1980–1982 are for all categories of establishment.

Figures for each category for these years are not available.

Figures in brackets represent the number of self-inflicted wounds expressed as a percentage of the average number of inmates in the category for the year.

The above figures include all self inflicted wounds, minor and serious. Figures for serious wounds only are not available.