Prisoners assaulting each other every half an hour

Assaults in British prisons occur on average more than once every half hour, according to research by Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesman Paul Holmes MP

The figures, contained in an answer to a Parliamentary Question, show that:

• In 2008 there were 18,929 prisoner on prisoner assaults each day, the equivalent of one every half an hour.

• Nearly a third of assaults (5,734) occurred in Young Offender Institutions, despite them holding less than a tenth of prisoners.

• Prisoner on prisoner assaults in both male and female prisons have risen by 46% between 2002 and 2008, while assaults in Young Offender institutions more than doubled.

• In the same period, prisoner on officer assaults have increased by 14% in adult prisons and 37% in Young Offender Institutions.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesman, Paul Holmes said:

"It is completely unacceptable that our prisons are so out of control that an inmate is able to attack another inmate every half an hour.

"This Government's continued obsession with sounding tough on crime has left our prisons packed to the rafters, with prison officers struggling to keep control and themselves safe.

"After more than a decade of Labour in power, Britain is still struggling with a revolving door prison system. Unless the Government can get prison numbers under control, there will be no chance of cutting down on Britain's sky-high reoffending rates.

"Ministers must realise that we cannot build our way out of the current prison crisis. The Government must take a more long-term view and move drug addicts and prisoners with mental health problems into more appropriate accommodation, as well as examining alternatives to short custodial sentences."