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Drug use and self-harm remain high at HMP Altcourse, inspectors find
A follow-up review of HMP Altcourse found leaders had responded positively to earlier criticism, but drug use, violence and self-harm had not fallen.
Self-harm
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Deaths and self-harm in prisons fall, but homicide rate stays high
Ministry of Justice figures show deaths in prisons in England and Wales fell by 10 per cent in the year to June 2026, while homicides remained close to a record level.
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Chief Inspector of Prisons warns lock-ups and cuts are fuelling drugs and violence
In his final annual report, Charlie Taylor says long hours in cells and cuts to education are driving drug use, violence and self-harm, and urges the prison service to act now.
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Violence at HMP Long Lartin still above similar jails, inspectors find
The Chief Inspector of Prisons found that assaults had fallen at the high-security prison, but prisoners still felt unsafe and too many lived in unacceptable conditions.
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One in ten prisoners taken to A&E leave without being seen, study finds
Nuffield Trust analysis found that 2,670 prisoners in England left A&E in a year without being seen or treated, twice the rate among the general public.
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Prison homicides reach record high of nine in a year
Ministry of Justice figures show nine homicides in prisons in England and Wales in the 12 months to March, while overall deaths and self-harm fell.
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Ombudsman warns over deaths of at-risk prisoners in segregation units
Eight of the 14 prisoners who died in segregation units between April 2024 and December 2025 were on suicide and self-harm monitoring, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has found.
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Inspectors find more compassionate response to self-harm in women’s prisons
HM Inspectorate of Prisons says the Prison Service has acted on its criticisms, with use of anti-rip clothing falling from 493 instances in 2024 to 88 in 2025.
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HMP Wealstun: drugs easy to get and self-harm up six-fold, inspectors found in 2020
A report published in February 2020 found illicit drugs undermining much of the work at HMP Wealstun in Yorkshire, with self-harm sharply up, though respect was rated good.