UK: prison suicide rate more than doubles in four years, figures reveal

Assaults and self-harm in jails in England and Wales also reach record levels as politicians are urged to address the ‘shameful’ issues facing the penal system.

The suicide rate in prisons in England and Wales has more than doubled since 2013, official figures have revealed, prompting campaigners to urge politicians to address the “shameful” issues facing the penal system ahead of the general election.

Statistics published by the Ministry of Justice show that 113 people committed suicide in the year ending March 2017 — an 11 per cent increase on the previous 12 months.

They were among a total of 344 people who died in prisons in England and Wales in the last year — the highest death toll since current recording practices began in 1978.

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