Since the Office took on the role of investigating deaths in prison custody in September 2005, there have been 22 deaths.
In all our Death in Custody investigations care and attention is paid, among other things, to:
- delivering a professional investigation
- identifying any learning points for the Prison Service
- answering family concerns and liaising with the family
- meeting the needs of the Coroner
The unexpected death of a loved one in prison is naturally a very sad event. Some organisations can help loved ones by providing emotional support and counselling. Further information can be found at the Suicide Awareness and Support Group and Samaritans websites.
Since her appointment as Prisoner Ombudsman, Pauline McCabe, has published all Death in Custody investigations reports on this website.
Developing action plans for, and taking forward implementation of the recommendations contained in the Death in Custody investigation reports represents a significant amount of work for the Prison Service. The Prison Service has recently put in place new processes to help it implement agreed actions. We will continue to seek updates on the implementation of the recommendations.
