More than 7,000 assaults on prison staff in 12 months, record figures show
The Justice Secretary says more officers are being recruited and body-worn cameras are being introduced to tackle the violence.
Thursday 26 October 2017 12:06, UK
The number of assaults on prison staff in England and Wales has risen to a new record of 7,437.
Ministry of Justice figures also show a new high in the total number of assaults in jails, with that figure reaching 27,193.
Self-harming reached a record level, too, in the 12 months to June 2017, with 41,103 incidents recorded.
Justice Secretary David Lidington said he was "under no illusions" about the challenges prison staff face.
A 9% increase in the final quarter led to the record number of assaults on staff. A figure of 2,011 incidents is a new quarterly high, too.
The number of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults reached 19,678 - another record.
But the number of deaths in custody in the year to September fell by 24 to 300.
Of those, 77 were self-inflicted, down 33 from the previous year.
Sky's Home Affairs Correspondent, Mark White, said the number of prison officers had fallen by about 5,000 since 2010.
But he added that a government recruitment drive was currently focused on employing an additional 2,500 officers.
Body-worn cameras are being used in an effort to reduce violence, after being successfully trialled with police forces.
Justice Secretary David Lidington said: "Our prison staff work incredibly hard and I am under no illusions about the challenges they face.
"More officers on the wings will improve the safety of our prisons. That is why we are investing £100 million to boost the front line."
Mr Lidington added: "We have already recruited 1,290 extra prison officers over the past year, taking us over half way to our target, but we won't stop there.
"I am also determined to give officers the tools they need to manage violent offenders, investing £2m in body-worn cameras which will act as a visible deterrent against violence and assist with prosecutions, as well as introducing new-style handcuffs and piloting PAVA incapacitant spray.
"Violence against our dedicated staff will never be tolerated which is why I am supporting a bill to increase sentences for those who attack emergency workers, including prison officers.
"I have been clear that it will take time, but I am determined to tackle the issues that undermine prison safety."