The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has a responsibility to keep prisoners, staff and visitors safe. The management of violence and its reduction, including support for staff, is central to successful prison management. It is fundamental to NOMS objectives and vital to achieving the broad aims of safer custody.
Every establishment, whether private or public, has a local violence reduction strategy which engages all staff, all disciplines and prisoners in challenging unacceptable behaviour, problem-solving and personal safety. This includes environmental and physical measures, as well as alternative ways of managing behaviour.
The information requested is shown in the following table. The NOMS uses data drawn from large administrative databases which capture a wide range of information recorded locally by individual prisons. Data for 2009 are currently being checked and validated.
Assault Incidents 2006 2007 2008 Total assaults resulting in serious injury 1,057 1,148 1,177 Serious injury and in-patient admission 183 161 184 Other assaults not serious injury resulting in in-patient admission 52 49 49 Total assaults resulting in in-patient admission 235 210 233