Record nine prison homicides in one year

Nine prisoners died through murder or manslaughter in England and Wales in the 12 months to March, the highest figure since records began.

The total was up from six in the previous 12-month period. Between 2019 and 2024 there were between one and three prison homicides per year. 

The figure emerged as the Ministry of Justice published its latest quarterly Safety in Custody statistical report, including data on overall deaths in prison, violence, and self-harm.

Findings included a reduction in overall deaths and self-harm, but a rise in serious violence. There were 352 deaths of prisoners in the 12 months to March, including 67 people who died in circumstances recorded as “self-inflicted”. 

Prisons recorded 72,753 incidents of self-harm in calendar year 2025, at a rate of one every seven minutes. Rates of self-harm fell by 8 per cent in men’s prisons and by 5 per cent in women’s prisons. 
 
Also in calendar year 2025, prisons recorded 31,345 assaults – with a 2.7 per cent rise on the rate of assaults for the previous 12 months. Serious assaults also increased and the rate of serious assaults was up 2.8 per cent on the previous year.  

Reacting to the figures, Andrea Coomber, Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “The highest ever number of homicides in prison and increases in serious assaults reveals how violent and dangerous our prisons remain. People in the care of the state should be granted safety as a bare minimum, but these figures show that even this low bar is still not being met. Nine homicides in a year is shocking and would be a national scandal in any other public institution. The government must act urgently to improve conditions and safety for people in our prisons, before more lives are lost.” 

She added: “It is encouraging to see a fall in deaths in custody, although it is important to recognise deaths had surged to a record high in 2025. There has also been a welcome drop in the rates of people self-harming, but there remains much to be concerned about.”

Deborah Coles, Director of the charity INQUEST, said: “Any reduction in self-harm and self-inflicted deaths should be welcomed but even one preventable death in prison is cause for deep concern. Violence, serious assault, and homicides continue to rise, showing that prisons remain unsafe and dangerous.”