Suicides (Youth Detention)

HC Deb 07 January 2003 vol 397 cc141-2W

Mr. Lyons

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many(a) young people and (b) women have committed suicide in youth detention in each year since 1997; [87764]

(2) how many suicides there have been in English prisons in each year since 1997. [87763]

Hilary Benn

The information requested is in the tables. Table 1 covers the 468 self-inflicted deaths in Prison Service establishments in England since 1 January 1997. Table 2 covers the 71 male and eight female self-inflicted deaths of those under the age of 21 held in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales since 1 January 1997. Those under the age of 18 may also be held in Local Authority Secure Units and Secure Training Centres (STCs). Table 3 covers the one self-inflicted death in Local Authority Secure Units in England and Wales since 1 January 1997. There have been no deaths in STCs since the first STC opened in April 1998.

Table 1: Number of self-inflicted deaths in Prison Service establishments in England between 1 January 1997 and 17 December 2002
Calendar year	Number
1997	65
1998	76
1999	89
2000	80
2001	67
2002	91
Total	468

Table 2: The number of self-inflicted deaths in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales by gender and age category between 1 January 1997 and 17 December 2002
Age category
Gender/calendar year	15–17 years	18–20 years	Total
Male
1997	0	8	8
1998	3	11	14
1999	2	13	15
2000	3	9	12
2001	3	8	11
2002	3	9	11
Total	13	58	71
Female
1997	0	1	1
2000	0	4	4
2001	0	2	2
2002	0	1	1
Total	0	8

Table 3: The number of self-inflicted deaths in Local Authority Secure Units between 1 January 1997 and 17 December 2002
Number
1997	—
1998	1
1999	—
2000	—
2001	—
2002	—

The Prison Service and the Youth Justice Board (YJB) are working closely together to try to prevent the suicides of young people held in their care. The Prison Service's suicide prevention and self-harm reduction programme (which applies to all prisoners, regardless of gender and age) includes a series of projects to improve pre-reception. reception and induction arrangements; the exchange of information; the care of prisoners; detoxification; prisoners supporting each other and learning from investigations into deaths in custody.