Jenny Chapman MP, Labour’s Shadow Justice Minister, responding to the publication of the latest Safety in Custody statistics, said:

“These shocking figures reveal the true state of the crisis in prisons, with severe staff shortages preventing many from functioning safely.

“That any prison officer should have to go to work facing that level of threat in the workplace is unacceptable and the government should urgently review the safety at work of prison staff.

“Violent, under-staffed prisons do nothing to challenge offending behaviour or protect victims of crime. Ministers need to wake up to how serious the situation is and urgently get a grip on the state of our prisons.”

Ends

Notes to Editors:

• The latest Safety in Custody Statistics are available here – https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/449648/safety-in-custody-2015.pdf

• Incidents of self-harm and assaults in prison are at their highest level in a decade with serious assaults up by 80% in the last two years, serious assaults on prison staff up 48% in a year, self-harm up 16% from last year and seven prison murders in 12 months – the highest number recorded since 1978.