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<p>The Government publishes quarterly statistics on violence in prison, and a more
detailed annual breakdown, and both are available at:<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/safety-in-custody-quarterly-update-to-december-2018"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/safety-in-custody-quarterly-update-to-december-2018</a>.
The relevant link is ‘Assaults in prison custody 2000 to 2018’ and the information
can be found in table 3.1: Prison assaults summary statistics by calendar year, England
and Wales, 2000-2018.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is taking unprecedented action
to improve safety in prisons. We have recruited over 4,700 more prison officers since
October 2016, and we now have the greatest number in post since early 2012. The Challenge,
Support and Intervention Plan case management process for prisoners at risk of violence
has been mandated for all prisons to help staff to manage violent prisoners and those
identified as posing a raised risk of being violent.</p><p>We are investing an extra
£70 million to improve safety, security and decency, and equipping officers with PAVA
incapacitant spray and body-worn cameras to help prevent serious harm to staff and
prisoners when dealing with violent incidents. We are improving perimeter security
and introducing new x-ray scanners, drug-detection dogs and dedicated search teams
to address the supply of drugs that we know are fuelling much of the violence in custody.
We are confident that these initiatives, together with the many other measures that
we are taking to protect our staff, will reduce the level of violence in prisons.</p>
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