Suicide and murder rate in prisons in England and Wales have reached their highest levels in years according to figures released by the Ministry of Justice.
In 2013, there were four alleged homicides – the highest number since 1998 – and 70 apparently self-inflicted deaths, more than at any time since 2008. There were 199 deaths in prisons in England and Wales in total.
Male prisoners' suicide and self-harm is rising year on year. In 2013, five male prisons each recorded three self-inflicted deaths.
The suicide rate among female prisoners has fallen, thanks to safety measures recommended by former Labour MP Lady Corston in a report published in 2007.
Her report followed a sharp rise in female prisoners' suicides, including six deaths in Styal prison in 2003.
Statistics gathered by the Prison Reform Trust indicate mental health problems may be behind the increase in suicide and self-harm rates: 26% of women and 16% of men were treated for a mental health problem in the year before custody.
And 62% of male and 52% female prisoners are classed as having a personality disorder.
Commenting on the rise in apparent prison homicides, Professor David Wilson, head of criminology at Birmingham City University and a former prison governor, said: "This is the highest number of alleged murders since 1998 and it reflects deep structural problems about control and order inside our jails – not our most high-security jails, but every prison in which we currently lock people up."
In February last year, Subhan Anwar, 25, serving a life sentence for the murder of his partner's baby, was killed at Long Lartin prison, Worcestershire. Two prisoners are awaiting trial for the killing.
In the same month, four prisoners were charged with the murder of 25-year-old Adnan Rafiq, an inmate at Hewell prison, Redditch, Worcestershire.
Last October, a prisoner at Lincoln jail was charged with the murder of Alan Goode. Goode, 73, was serving nine months for serial voyeurism after spying on women in toilets in Leicester.
And in December a 22-year-old prisoner, Michael Hennesy, died from stab wounds at Lindholme prison, South Yorkshire. Two prisoners will stand trial for the killing.
An inspection report of Lindholme in the summer was highly critical of safety measures at the jail. More than a third of prisoners said they felt unsafe and inspectors said drugs and alcohol were freely available at the category C prison.
Frances Crook, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said almost all the deaths in custody were preventable.
"The responsibility for an increase in the number of people who take their own lives in prison lies squarely with those who advocate putting behind bars more and more people who do not need to be there."
A Prison Service spokesman said: "We are committed to making sure prisons are safe and secure – this includes reducing the number of deaths and applying strenuous efforts to learn from each one."
A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said: "Every death is subject to an investigation by the police and the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman as well as a coroner's inquest."
Self-portrait of alleged victim Colin Penrose in 2011.
John Clark appeared at Glasgow  on Friday charged with murdering cellmate Colin Penrose, 22, in the city's .

Penrose, from the West Coast town of , had been recalled to prison for alleged further offending after being paroled from a sentence for sexual assault against a teenager. Police Scotland confirmed they were called to the prison, Scotland's largest, shortly after 2:00am on Thursday when Penrose was found dead in the cell.

Clark has been remanded pending a full committal hearing next week. Clark is variously reported to be either 21 or 22.

Penrose died on the top floor of the jail's E Hall. E Hall includes accommodation for vulnerable prisoners.

Penrose, who attended , is survived by his parents, both 60. He listed himself on Facebook as single but had liked a dating page, and according to his profile was seeking employment. "I hate football and I hate the police", his profile reads, adding he enjoyed a drink at the weekend.

In early 2012 he uploaded a photo of himself with a swollen eye. Without explaining the injury he asked "does anybody want to say anything about my eyes in this picture or do you not give a shit what happens to me"? He received no response until a year later, when the reply "thats what happens to beasts

" was received.

Several friends posted condolences to his page after his death. One claimed he had been strangled.

The famous four-storey Victorian prison is routinely overcrowded, with prisoners sharing cells meant for individual use. With drug use at over 80% of the population, Barlinnie is Western Europe's largest dispenser of  substitute .
HMP Barlinnie from file.
In 2011 governor Derek McGill complained "If we could eliminate overcrowding, we could do more with the prisoners." He was speaking after an inspector branded the facility unsafe for prisoners and staff alike due to chronic overcrowding. Scottish Executive  spending cuts around the same time reduced the 's building funds significantly.

Plans are nonetheless afoot to replace Barlinnie with a new prison, to be called . The Prison Service is tendering for consultants to identify potential sites. Although the Scottish Government aims to reduce prisoner populations the new prison is to be more than twice the size of Barlinnie.

The nation's sex offenders were, until recently, usually all held at . The internationally-acclaimed sex offender treatment center was permanently closed late last year and the inmates moved elsewhere. Peterhead prison has been replaced with the 140 million "super prison" , built next door to the Peterhead site. Men, women, and young offenders are all held at the prison for the first time at a Scottish jail and the first inmates arrived this month.  has also closed and been replaced with the new jail. 

Homicide behind bars is unusual in Scotland, though there have been cases in 2006 and 1996. Neighbouring England has seen a spate recently, including four last year. Those four deaths were all charged as murder and represented the highest  total since 1998.


== Sources == 

*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*