A new report published by the Ministry of Justice has examined the cause in the rise of prison violence – and how it might be reversed.
Violence in prisons – whether between prisoners or against staff – has increased since 2015. Statistics show that the annual number of recorded incidents of assault has risen from 22,182 (year to 31 March 2016) to 30,820 (2026). This is mirrored by the rise in self-harm incidents in the same period from 34,665 to 70,632.
The report notes that the complexity of the issue, which is influenced by multiple factors, has led to some uncertainty over the most appropriate action to address it. However, several key findings were made, such as:
- Higher staff numbers, a stable staff cohort, and a minimal level of vacancies were associated with lower levels of violence. Conversely, lower staff-prisoner ratios were shown to increase staff stress and poorer handling of incidents and therefore increased the risk of violence.
- The role of staff-prisoner relationships were important factors in the likelihood of self-reported and official misconduct. Denigrating attitudes towards prisoners by prison staff was associated with higher levels of violence. Conflict between prison officers was also associated with increased violence among prisoners.
There was a range of evidence on how time and out of cells, either through attendance at prison programmes or other purposeful activity, could impact levels of violence. Whilst some studies found that time spent in educational and vocational courses reduced prison violence, others found the inverse effect.
In conclusion, the report found that there was no single solution to tackling the issue of prison violence and that multiple elements – as above – were to be put into practice in combination.
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