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<p /> <p>Every death in custody is a tragedy, and the Government is committed to reducing
the number of self-inflicted deaths in prisons. All prisons are required to have procedures
in place to identify, manage and support people who are at risk of harm to themselves.
These procedures include the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) process,
which is a prisoner-centred, flexible care planning system for prisoners identified
as at risk of suicide or self-harm. Prisons are also required to ensure that they
have procedures in place to learn from deaths in custody to prevent future occurrences.</p><p>
</p><p>We are working hard to understand the reasons for the recent rise in the number
of self-inflicted deaths, but there is no simple explanation. Additional resources
and support are being provided for safer custody work in prisons, and in particular
to improve the consistency of the ACCT system. The National Offender Management Service
has also put in place additional staff at regional level to support staff in prisons
and to share good practice, and created a dedicated learning and knowledge management
team at headquarters which is providing further support for safer custody work.</p><p>
</p><p>Data on deaths in custody is published quarterly in the Safety in Custody Statistics
Bulletin, available at <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safety-in-custody-statistics"
target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/safety-in-custody-statistics</a>.</p>
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