Prisons in crisis as officer numbers fall across the East Midlands

THE NUMBER of frontline officers working in East Midlands public-sector prisons has fallen over the last year.

The region has seen the most significant decrease across England and Wales - 8% - according to statistics seen by the Howard League for Penal Reform.

Figures show there were 1,351 frontline (full-time equivalent) officers in East Midlands jails in June 2016, down from 1,470 the following year.

This despite Ministry of Justice plans to recruit additional staff to help respond to the highest levels of vio- lence, suicide and self-injury since recording practices began.

Across the whole of England and Wales, the number of officers has fallen from 15,110 to 14,689. This leaves prisons with barely more frontline staff than the lows of 2014, which prompted the Ministry of Justice to embark on a major recruitment exercise.

As officer numbers have fallen the prison population has risen from 83,796 to 85,130 with safety in jails has deteriorating significantly.

Latest Ministry of Justice statistics showed 321 people died in prison custody during the year to the end of June 2016 – an increase of 30% on the previous year. They included 105 people who are thought to have taken their own lives.

Reported incidents of self-harm have risen by 27% in a year to 34,586 to the end of March 2016 – one every 15 minutes.

While the number of assaults on prison staff has increased by 40% with 5,423 incidents in the same period - a rate of almost 15 per day.