Safer Custody Group Available to Purchase

This paper describes the current levels of ‘self‐harm’, suicide and violence in prisons in England and Wales, outlines key high‐risk groups within the prison population and gives relevant national targets on self‐inflicted deaths and serious assaults ‐ now included in the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) national targets for 2005‐06. It outlines the case for Safer Custody Group to continue to provide on‐going services to tackle ‘self‐harm’, suicide and violence, as part of health and offender partnerships. The link with the ‘health agenda’ is explored, and concrete examples are given of successful collaborative work with the Department of Health and others. The delivery of services intended to promote and mainstream safety, health and well‐being in both public and private prisons is described, as are current and future projects aimed at delivering better services to prisoners, staff and bereaved families.