§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what investigations he is undertaking into the recent suicides at Norwich prison; [40247]
(2) what assessment he has made of those groups of prison inmates most prone to suicide attempts; [40249]
(3) how many suicides there have been at (a) Norwich prison and (b) each other prison in each year since 1992, including 1998 to date; [40248]
(4) what steps he is taking to allay relatives' fears in respect of suicide attempts in Norwich prison. [40251]
§ Ms Quin[holding answer 30 April 1998]Recent research has identified that the first 30 days into custody or after arrival at a prison, as a sentenced or remand prisoner, is a period of significantly increased risk of suicide. Thus a disproportionate number of suicides occur in local prisons. The Prison Service is, therefore, reviewing the reception and induction processes to examine how those at risk might be better identified and supported.
Also, the range of people entering prison custody includes a high proportion of individuals known to be at increased risk of suicide. These include those addicted to drugs or alcohol, those who have committed serious sexual or violent offences and those with a history of self-harm. Unfortunately, not all self-inflicted deaths are preventable, as despite staffs best efforts, some prisoners will not disclose or convey their feelings and intentions. However, we are determined to do everything possible to try and reduce the number of self-inflicted deaths in prisons.
The Prison Service actively encourages the involvement of family members in caring for those at heightened risk of suicide or self-harm wherever possible. Prison Service policy on caring for the suicidal in custody advises staff to consider carefully how families can be involved in working up a care plan for those who are considered at particular risk of suicide.
450WAt Norwich, the relatives of prisoners under 18 are automatically informed if an incident of self-harm occurs. However, for prisoners over 18 years of age, relatives will be informed only if the prisoner gives his permission to do so. It is important that the views and wishes of prisoners are taken into account. If they do not wish their family to know of their actions we must respect their wishes.
The Prison Service conducts an internal investigation into every self-inflicted death in custody to see if there are any operational lessons to be learned. The findings of these reports are then fully considered in the light of inquest verdicts when they are known. Procedures for conducting internal investigations are currently under review, including a review of the policy of treating internal investigations as confidential.
In view of the sequence of deaths at Norwich, a review of the suicide awareness strategy at Norwich has been carried out to see what lessons can be learned in order to prevent similar tragedies recurring.
The information requested on the number of self-inflicted deaths at Norwich and other prisons since 1992 is shown in the table:
451W
Establishment 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 19981 Acklington — — — 1 — — — Albany — — 1 — — — — Aldington — — — — — — — Ashwell 2 — — — — — — Askham Grange — — — — — — — Aylesbury — — — 1 — 2 — Bedford — — 1 2 — — — Belmarsh — 1 — 2 — 4 — Birmingham 1 — 1 2 1 1 1 Blakenhurst — — — 1 2 — — Blantyre House — — — — — — — Blundeston — — — 2 — — — Brinsford 1 — 1 — 1 — — Bristol 1 2 — 1 1 1 — Brixton 1 1 3 — 1 2 — Brockhill — — — — — — — Buckley Hall — — — — 1 — — Bullingdon 1 — — 1 1 1 — Bullwood Hall — — — — — 1 — Camp Hill — — — — — — — Canterbury — 1 — — — — — Cardiff — — 2 — — 1 1 Castington — — — — — — — Channings Wood — — — — — — — Chelmsford — — 1 1 1 1 — Coldingley — — — — — — — Cookham Wood — — — — — — — Dartmoor — 1 1 — 2 2 — Deerbolt 1 — — — — — — Doncaster — — 2 2 1 — 2 Dorchester 1 — — — 2 — — Dover — — — 1 — 1 — Downview — — — 1 — — — Drake Hall — — — — — — — Durham 2 1 — — 1 2 — East Sutton Pk — — — — — — — Eastwood Park — — — — — — — Elmley 1 — 1 — — — 2 Erlestoke — — — 2 — — — Everthorpe — — — — — — — Exeter — 4 1 2 1 1 — Featherstone — — — 1 — — — Feltham 2 — — — 1 2 — Ford — — — — — — — Frankland — — — 1 — — — Full Sutton — 1 — 1 1 1 — Garth — — 1 1 — 3 —
452W
Establishment 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 19981 Gartree 1 — 1 — 1 1 — Glen Parva 1 — — — 2 1 — Gloucester — — — 1 — — — Grendon — — 2 1 — 1 — Guys Marsh — — — — — — — Haslar — — — — — — — Hatfield — — — — — — — Haverigg — — — 1 — 1 — Hewell Grange — — — — — — — Heighdown — 1 1 4 2 3 — Highpoint — — — — — — — Hindley 1 1 — — — 2 — Hollesley Bay — — — — — — — Holloway 1 1 — 2 1 — — Holme House — 2 — — 1 2 — Hull 2 1 2 1 2 2 1 Huntercombe — — — — — — — Kingston — — — — — — — Kirkham — — — — 1 — — Kirklevington — — — — — — — Lancaster — — — — — — — Lancaster Farms — — — — — 1 — Latchmere House — — — — — — — Leeds 2 2 1 1 1 2 4 Leicester 1 3 3 1 1 — — Lewes 1 1 — 1 1 2 1 Leyhill — — — — — — — Lincoln — 3 1 2 2 — — Lindholme — 1 — — 1 — — Littlehey — 1 — — — 1 — Liverpool 1 2 5 1 3 5 — Long Lartin 1 1 1 1 2 — — Low Newton — — 2 2 — 1 1 Maidstone 1 — — — — 1 — Manchester — 2 2 — 4 — 1 Moorland — — 3 — — — — Morton hall — — — — — — — The Mount — — — 1 1 — — New Hall — — 1 — — — — Northallerton — — — — — — 1 North Sea Camp — — — — — — — Norwich 2 2 — 4 1 1 4 Nottingham — 1 — 1 1 2 1 Onley — — — — — — — Oxford — — — — — — — Parc — — — — — 1 — Parkhurst 1 1 2 — 1 — — Pentonvive 4 — — 2 2 — — Portland — — 1 — 1 — — Preston — — 1 1 2 3 1 Pucklechurch — — — — — — — Ranby — — — — — — — Reading — — — — — — 2 Risley — — 1 — 1 2 — Rochester — — — — 1 — — Send — — — — — — — Shepton Mallet — 1 — — — — — Shrewsbury — — 1 — 1 — 1 Stafford 1 — — — — — — Standford Hill — — — — — — — Stocken — — — — 1 — — Stoke Heath — — — — — — — Styal 1 — — — — — — Sudbury — — — — — — — Swaleside 1 — 1 — — — — Swansea — — 1 1 — 1 — Swinfen Hall — — — — 2 1 — Thorn Cross — — — — — — — Usk — — 1 — — — — The Verne — — 1 — — — — Wakefield 1 3 1 1 — — — Wandsworth — 2 4 — 1 — 1 Wayland — — — — — — — Wealstun — — — — — — — — Wellingborough 1 — — — — — — werrington — — — — — — — — Wetherby — 1 — — — — — Whatton — — — 1 — — —
Establishment 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 19981 Whitemoor — — — 1 — — — Winchester — 1 1 — 2 2 1 Wolds — 1 — 1 1 — — Woodhill — 1 1 — — 2 1 Wormwood Scrubs 1 — 4 — 1 — — Wymott — — — — — 1 — P.E.C.S. — — — — 1 2 — 1Figures for 1998 as at 29 April 1998 The term employed by the Prison Service to refer to an apparent suicide is "self-inflicted death". This is broader than the former definition and includes all those deaths where it is clear that the person has acted specifically to take his/her own life. It is not restricted to the official verdict from the Coroner's inquest, where verdicts of "suicide", "open" or "misadventure" may be recorded in cases where there was doubt about a person's intent to end their life.