News reports of the self-inflicted deaths of prisoners at HMP Liverpool featured prominently in our newspapers and social media feeds throughout 2018. Our Inquests & Inquiries Paralegal, Paige Jones, discusses the shocking reality of modern day UK prisons.

In a widely read report published by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in late 2017, HMP Liverpool was condemned as a squalid and infested Victorian-style prison, suffering from staff shortages that left inmates in a state of neglect. The report singles out the care in place for prisoners with mental health needs, referring to it as an "impoverished regime". The fault however, does not lie solely with the prison staff. Instead, it evidences the systematic and managerial problems present at all levels of the prison system that are failing to provide adequate care to prisoners with mental health needs. 

In light of these alarming facts, it comes as no surprise that HMP Liverpool has the second highest number of self-inflicted deaths of any prison in England and Wales. What is even more concerning is that, whereas in 2017 there was a total of three self-inflicted deaths in HMP Liverpool, this number was matched in the last few months of 2018 alone.

The charity INQUEST has published the latest figures of deaths in prison and has highlighted that nationally, the number of prison deaths is at a record high. How is it that, going into 2019, we are still burdened by a prison systems that ignores the warning signs of prisoners with mental health problems and even self-harming behaviour?

Those detained by the state have human rights, including a right to life. The prison service has a legal duty to ensure that their prisoners receive an adequate standard of care, including access to mental health services, given that many prisoners have a history of mental health issues prior to entering the system. Although time and time again inquests into the deaths of prisoners at HMP Liverpool and beyond have revealed persistent and repeated failures from the prisons and their health care providers, very little has been done to address the short-comings suffered by their most vulnerable prisoners. With staff shortages and limited resources often being the reason for the prison's inability to safeguard its inmates, clearly the change has to come from the government.

So what is important to remember?

Prisoners' rights to adequate care are very real and ought to be recognised by the prison. In light of recent events, HMP Liverpool appears to not only be a distressing and unpleasant prison, but more worryingly, it is routinely failing its prisoners with mental health problems and those at risk of self-inflicted death. It is in our interest to address these issues whilst offenders are in prison in an effort to successfully rehabilitate. Ignoring and failing to address their needs is only detrimental both to the individual and our communities in the future.

Here in the Inquest & Inquiries department we see firsthand the consequences that these failures have on the families left behind. We help to guide these families through the inquest process, so that they can attain some semblance of closure and understanding of what happened to their loved one.

At Broudie Jackson Canter we have a dedicated Inquests & Inquiries team who can help you through this difficult time. We also have a renowned Actions Against the Police team who can help if you, or someone you know, has been a victim of police misconduct.

If you would like to talk to any of our specialist advisers please message us enquiry or request a callback at your convenience. We can also provide an interpreter for most languages.