Self-harm & suicide: encouraging social support to reduce risk

Within HMPPS, rates of self-harm and suicide continue to be high. Managing self-harm and suicide in prison is challenging and can have negative impacts on both prison staff and residents. Research has shown that social support, such as contact with friends and family, can reduce the risk of self-harm and suicide. This report presents an overview of the current evidence, bringing together information from a wide range of high-quality academic sources, including peer-reviewed papers, reports, and research with people living in the community. It aims to give a clear outline of the primary evidence and suggest how social support can be applied in a prison setting to inform practice in HMPPS.