§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) men, (b) women and (c) juveniles have committed suicide while held by the Prison Service in each of the last five years for which records exist. [146751]
§ Paul GogginsThe information requested is provided in the following table
226W
Calendar year Number of male self-inflicted deaths (not including juveniles) Number of female self-inflicted deaths (not including juveniles) Number of juvenile self-inflicted deaths (aged 15–17)1 1999 84 5 2 2000 70 8 3 2001 64 6 3 2002 84 9 2 2003 80 14 0 1 These 10 self-inflicted deaths all involved male juveniles. The Prison Service employs the term 'self-inflicted death' rather than 'suicide.' This includes all those deaths where it appears the person may have acted specifically to take his/her own life.
Reducing the number of self-inflicted deaths and instances of self-harm in prison establishments is a ministerial and Prison Service priority. A proactive three-year programme to develop policies and practices to reduce prisoner suicide and manage self-harm began in April 2001. The programme has included:
The training of suicide prevention coordinators, now operating in the majority of prisons.The increased provision of prisoner peer support through schemes such as 'Insiders' and Samaritan-led 'Listeners'.An investment of £21 million in six 'Safer Local' prisons: Feltham, Leeds, Wandsworth, Winchester, Eastwood Park and Birmingham.Projects to develop safer prison design, including safer cells.Over recent months a wide-ranging review of this programme has taken place in consultation with partner agencies such as the Youth Justice Board and outside organisations such as Samaritans, taking into account the evaluations of pilot projects and emerging research findings. This review will inform future suicide prevention strategy beyond April 2004.