Prison violence in England and Wales up yet again

Violence in jails has continued to rise, with assaults on prison officers in English and Welsh jails reaching almost 6,000 incidents a year.

The latest figures show the overall number of assaults rose by a third to 23,775 in the year to June 2016.

The figures reflect a continuing trend that began in 2012.

Earlier in October, prison governors called for an independent public inquiry into the increase in violence and suicides in England and Wales.

The latest Ministry of Justice statistics show there were 17,782 prisoner-on-prisoner assaults, meaning inmates are now a third more likely to be attacked than a year ago.

Attacks on staff rose 43% to 5,954 incidents - almost 700 of which resulted in serious injuries. Attacks on staff in female prisons rose to 269 incidents, the highest rate for seven years.

Deaths went up by a fifth to 324 in the year to September 2016. A majority of these - 179 - were due to natural causes but a third were self-inflicted. Five were homicides and the rest were still being assessed.

The MOJ report said: "The rise in assaults since 2012 has coincided with major changes to the regime, operating arrangements and culture in public sector prisons.

"For example, restructuring of the prison estate including staff reductions, which have reduced overall running costs, and an increasing awareness of gang culture and illicit psychoactive drugs in prisons.

"As well as the dangers to both physical and mental health, trading in these illicit drugs can lead to debt, violence and intimidation."

Since 2010 the Ministry of Justice has cut spending by more than £2bn - about a third of its total budget. This was largely achieved by cutting the number and cost of prison places.

Earlier this month the Prison Governors Association warned that only a public inquiry would get to the bottom of why jails have become far more dangerous.

Days later, a prisoner at HMP Pentonville in London died and two others were critically injured following a stabbing.

Responding to the latest figures, Justice Secretary Elizabeth Truss said prison reform was her top priority.

"I am committed to making prisons places of safety and reform, where our dedicated officers are given the support they need to help offenders turn their lives around," she said.

"That is why I have invested an initial £14m at 10 of our most challenging prisons and shortly I will be publishing a White Paper outlining the much needed reform across the prison estate to 2020 and beyond."

But Mark Day, of the Prison Reform Trust, said: "Today's figures reveal a hidden emergency unfolding in our prison system. This cannot be allowed to become the new normal."