The state of prisons

Fact checks relating to the UK prison services, number of prison officers and budgets

15 December 2021

Reports Emma Tustin was hospitalised after inmates force fed her salt are not true

A Facebook post falsely claims Emma Tustin, who killed Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, has been hospitalised after being forced to eat 79 packets of salt.

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18 February 2020

Justice spending is down 25% since 2010, not 40%

The government did announce a real terms reduction of 40% to the Ministry of Justice but ultimately reduced funding by 25% between 2010/11 and 2019/20.

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13 June 2019

Does it cost more to watch TV in hospital than in prison?

Some hospitals provide TV for free, others for £8 per day. Prisoners are charged £1 per week to rent an in-cell TV.

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20 August 2018

What’s happening to HMP Birmingham?

Birmingham prison has been taken over from G4S by the government.

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6 August 2018

Violence and drugs in prison

In England and Wales’ prisons, drugs finds, assaults, and self-harm incidents are at a decade-high.

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13 February 2017

Fewer prison officers in England and Wales

Prison officer numbers have fallen in England and Wales since 2010.

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26 January 2017

Record self-inflicted deaths in prisons

It's correct that the latest figures show a record level of self-inflicted deaths in English and Welsh prisons in 2016.

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3 November 2016

The state of prisons in England and Wales

Prisoner numbers, prison staff numbers and levels of violence in English and Welsh jails.

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31 August 2016

The number of frontline prison officers is falling

The number of frontline prison officers is falling and has been since 2010, although there were increases in recruitment last year.

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8 February 2016

The rising prison population

The prison population was about 45,000 in England and Wales in 1990 and 1991 and is now about 86,000.

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