The performance of more than 40% of adult prisons in England and Wales have been rated as of “concern” as levels of violence and self-harm soar, figures show.
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said this explained why she had “no choice but to act” in deciding to release thousands of prisoners earlier than planned to cut overcrowding, while the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said the data exposed the “scale of the prison system in crisis”.
Out of the 119 adult prisons in England and Wales, just over four in 10 (42% or 50) were rated of “concern” or “serious concern”, according to PA news agency analysis of the figures for the year to March.
London prisons such as high-security jail Belmarsh as well as Feltham B were among 35 rated of concern, while the 15 considered to be of serious concern included category B facilities Wandsworth and Pentonville.
The number rated serious concern has increased by six since the previous 12-month period.
Just 13 were awarded the highest rating of outstanding, the annual prison performance ratings for 2023/24 showed.
Violence and self-harm in prison has risen to “unacceptable” levels as overcrowding pushed jails to the “point of collapse”, the MoJ said.
Violence has reached a post-coronavirus pandemic high of 28,292 incidents in 12 months, with the number of assaults behind bars rising by 27% in the year to March, according to separate figures also published on Thursday.
Self-harm rates have also hit their highest level since records began, with 73,804 incidents taking place in the 12-month period. This is a rate of one prisoner hurting themselves every seven minutes, the MoJ said.
The rate of self-harm incidents in women’s prisons was about 341 people per 1,000 inmates, compared to around 146 people per 1,000 prisoners in jails holding men.
There has also been a 44% “annual increase in drug finds”, the department said, adding the number of prisons in overcrowded conditions has risen for a third consecutive year, reaching a high of 23.6%, with jails operating at 99% capacity since the start of 2023.
The figures come as Ms Mahmood told the Commons more emergency measures could be brought in to tackle the prisons overcrowding crisis and MPs approved plans to cut the proportion of the sentence inmates must serve behind bars from 50% to 40%.
The temporary move – which does not apply to those convicted of sex offences, terrorism, domestic abuse or some violent offences – is expected to result in 5,500 offenders being released in September and October.
Prisons remain “within a few hundred places of collapse”, the Justice Secretary warned as she said the Government will continue to monitor the situation closely in the coming weeks.
Andrea Coomber, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “These shocking statistics tell us why the new Government was absolutely right to take steps to ease pressure on the prison population, and why further action will be needed to change prisons for the better.”
Prison Reform Trust boss Pia Sinha branded the figures a “shameful reflection of just how far safety in our prisons has fallen”, adding: “The Government has a serious task ahead to try to restore safety and stability to our jails.”
Ms Mahmood added: “Our prisons are in crisis, leading to endemic violence and harm behind bars.
“These statistics reveal what is really happening inside jails today, and why we had no choice but to act. This Government will always protect the public, lock up dangerous offenders, and make prisons safe for prisoners and the brave staff who work there.”
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