§ Mr. GodsiffTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of self-harm were recorded for female prisoners for the last three years for which complete data is available. [158061]
131W
§ Paul GogginsThe figures requested are provided in the following table.
Number of incidents of self-harm recorded for women prisoners 2001 2,034 2002 2,493 2003 17,408 1In December 2002 new procedures for reporting self-injury were introduced in prisons in England and Wales, and much of the increase in reported self-harm in 2003 may result from this rather than reflect an actual increase in incidence of self-harm. The prison population, and particularly the women's estate, contains a substantial number of individuals who have experienced negative life events, all of which are identified as significant risk factors for suicide and self-harm. These include psychiatric disorders, alcohol and drug dependency, family background and relationship problems, as well as histories of self-harm and previous abuse.
The Prison Service recognises that self-harm is a particular problem among women prisoners, and is currently developing a range of interventions including: individual crisis counselling for women prisoners who self-harm; the continued development and evaluation of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, which is currently being trialled at Durham, Bullwood Hall and Holloway prisons; investment and planning to ensure progress on the detoxification strategy in the Women's Estate; the development of a new, three-stage screening process to more effectively detect mental health problems; and the introduction of a new training pack for all staff working with women in custody, which includes a module on the health and well being of women prisoners.
One million pounds from the Department of Health has been allocated to the Women's Estate to be spent on the recruitment of psychiatric nurses, and 11 out of the 17 prisons for women now have mental health in-reach facilities. A network of establishments (both male and female) has been set up to develop interventions, facilitate evaluation and share good practice on the subject of self-harm, and guidance to staff on managing people who self-harm has been circulated to all establishments.