|
|
Press releasesREF: PR/09/05 DATE: 9th May 2005 To: ALL POLITICAL PRESS RELEASE Suicides In PrisonsAt the Prison Officers' Association Annual Conference being held in Southport, delegates called for continued action to reduce self-harm and suicides in prisons. A direct correlation was drawn between the drive for efficiency savings and the concentration on meeting Government targets as the impediment to reducing suicides. During the last three years, the number of suicides in prisons has remained constant; in 2002 – 95, 2003 – 94, and 2004 – 95. The POA is of the firm view that the major contributory factor in respect of suicides is the fact that, with the drive for efficiency savings staff were not available in sufficient numbers, or with the pressure to achieve targets, not given sufficient time or training to deal with prisoners’ problems. The introduction of NOMS and its agenda for Market Testing and Privatisation will continue to divert the Prison Services attention from addressing the issue of suicide and self-harm. Delegate after delegate at the Conference, highlighted the difficulties experienced in their prisons and the affect a death in custody has on their members. Conference called on the Head of NOMS Martin Narey, to stop talking about deaths in custody and to take positive action, by giving the Prison Service the funds to allow them to ensure that the appropriate numbers of staff are available on a daily basis within our prisons to tackle once and for all deaths in custody. POA National Chairman Colin Moses, said: “Every death that occurs in a prison is a tragedy and affects all of those concerned, whether it is someone with the notoriety of Harold Shipman or someone who is of little or no media interest.” END.
|
  |
 |
|
