More inmates have committed suicide at HMP Elmley than almost any other prison in England and Wales, according to figures released today.

The Sheppey jail comes joint top with Wandsworth, where four inmates took their own lives last year.

At Elmley, a further four died from natural causes, while one more death is awaiting classification.

HMP Elmley is classified as category B/C 'local' prison, which houses many prisoners on remand to Kent's courts.

In comparison neighbouring Swaleside, a category B jail, saw two deaths, both from natural causes.

Elmley starkly highlights a trend identified by the Howard League for Penal Reform, which compiled the figures.

The campaign group discovered prisoners on remand - who may not have been found guilty of any crime - are disproportionally more likely to commit suicide compared to the general prison population.

Nationally, one in three prisoners who took their own lives was on remand, although remand prisoners account for only one-seventh of the UK prison population at any one time.

Andrew Neilson, director of campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform, said:

"I think it's certainly very disturbing that a single prison can contribute such a high proportion of all the suicides in England and Wales. It really is a sign of all the problems that the prison is having.

"Elmley is overcrowded, there's no sign of its prison population being reduced to try and help manage the problems that it faces and while that's the case I'm afraid to say that we may well continue to see more suicides in prison, and other issues" - Mr Neilson

"The authorities say they're trying to get to grips with that but I think that part of the problem for prison staff who're doing the best they can in very difficult circumstances is that they are being asked to cut staff and cut resources at a time when prison numbers are going up.

"Elmley is overcrowded, there's no sign of its prison population being reduced to try and help manage the problems that it faces and while that's the case I'm afraid to say that we may well continue to see more suicides in prison, and other issues."

As in the past, under staffing has been blamed both locally and nationally for the high number of deaths in prison.

Mr Neilson said: "It's shocking but not surprising, given the coverage that Elmley prison has had locally in recent months, particularly problems around staffing levels and the ability for staff then to cope with problems.

"Those range all the way from getting prisoners out of their cells to workshops to rising violence, to also suicide prevention where a key part of trying to stop prisoners taking their own lives is having staff who can monitor and assess people who might be vulnerable to suicidal thoughts and suicidal actions.

"I think there is a kind of toxic cocktail brewing in Elmley and many other prisons across England and Wales.

"We are seeing staffing and resources generally to the prisons being reduced, while at the same time the prison population is rising and that is really an untenable situation to be in.

"It should be an alarm bell for everyone working in the prisons but also the politicians that set policy that something needs to be done."

A report released in November last year following an unannounced inspection of HMP Elmley in June found the prison is seriously understaffed, with inmates locked in cells for up to 23 hours a day because there are no officers to supervise work or education.

Similar problems were identified in an earlier inspection of neighbouring HMP Swaleside.

Prison officers are also suffering due to staff shortages with several assaults and other disturbances reported at several Kent jails last year.

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