Overview

• New figures reveal 10,605 assaults on prison staff in 2024, marking a 15% increase from 2023 and the highest level in a decade.
• Serious assaults on staff rose to 974 last year, while the overall assault rate climbed to 122 per 1,000 prisoners.
• Deaths in prisons increased by 37% in the year to March 2025, with homicides rising from one to seven during this period.
• High-profile incidents, including attacks by Manchester Arena bomber Hashem Abedi and the suspected murder of inmate John Mansfield, highlight systemic safety issues.
• Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced a Tasers trial and a review of body armour to address the escalating crisis.