Prison and probation performance continues to nose-dive

Security in Custody

Beginning with maybe probably the most worrying set of figures, the newest set of Security in Custody statistics cowl Deaths in Jail Custody to June 2025  and Assaults and Self-harm to March 2025. The headline findings are:

Within the 12 months to June 2025, there have been 401 deaths in jail custody, an improve of 30% from 308 deaths within the earlier 12 months. Of those, 86 deaths have been self-inflicted.Within the 12 months to March 2025, the speed of self-harm was 899 incidents per 1,000 prisoners (77,898 incidents), up 6% from the 12 months to March 2024 to a brand new peak, comprising of a 5% improve in male institutions and a 6% improve in feminine institutions, each additionally to new peaks.Within the 12 months to March 2025, the speed of assaults was 356 assaults per 1,000 prisoners (30,846 assaults), up 9% from the 12 months to March 2024.

Jail efficiency scores

The Annual Jail Efficiency Scores 2024/25 presents an official evaluation of prisons throughout England and Wales, assigning data-driven scores from 4 (Excellent efficiency) right down to 1 (Efficiency of great concern) for every measure within the 2024/25 Jail Efficiency Framework leading to an general jail ranking.

12 prisons have been rated as excellent (DOWN from 13 final yr)48 have been rated good, (DOWN from 56 final yr)37 have been fee as “of concern” (UP from 35 final yr).22 have been rated as of great concern (UP from 15 final yr).

The figures have been printed on the identical day as inspectors printed an Pressing Notification for Oakhill safe coaching centre which included the truth that within the 9 months to July 2025, 23 employees members have been suspended, of which 16 associated to allegations about their conduct with kids. Since 14 July 2025, seven extra employees members have been suspended on the identical grounds. 

The HMPPS Annual Digest for 2024/25 additionally provides us trigger for concern, informing us that:

Within the 12 months to March 2025 there have been 26,348 incidents of drug finds, 13,014 incidents of weapons finds, and 12,166 incidents of cell phone finds, will increase of 25%, 12% and 14% respectively from the earlier yr.

Probation

Switching our consideration to the probation service, the annual Group Efficiency statistics for 2024/25 reveal that solely 2 of 12 areas are working at a ‘good’ degree (Better Manchester & Wales), all different areas are rated as both ‘requiring enchancment’ (6) or ‘insufficient’ (4).

Simply over three quarters (76.3%) of individuals on probation had accomplished their court-ordered necessities by the point their neighborhood sentence expired.

Offender Administration Statistics

I’m afraid there isn’t a respite once we flip to the offender administration statistics for the primary quarter of this yr. From this bulletin we be taught that:

There have been 71,625 adjudication outcomes between January and March 2025 (virtually 800 per day). This was an increase of 16% in comparison with the identical interval in 2024. Further days have been awarded as punishment on 1,683 events, totalling 26,433 additional days – 8% UP on the identical quarter final yr.

There have been 10,101 licence recollects on this three month interval, a rise of a couple of third (36%) on January-March 2024. We don’t have knowledge to point out what number of of those individuals have been launched early underneath the SDS40 provisions solely to be recalled with a number of days or perhaps weeks.

Conclusion

I really feel like I ought to apologise for beginning your week with this recital of dismal knowledge however there seems to be no level to hiding from the extent of the issue. Whereas it’ll clearly take years to show our jail and probation companies round, we dwell in hope that we will begin to see some progress within the close to future.