Almost a third of all deaths that have occurred within Scottish prisons in the past decade were by suicide, an investigation by The Herald has revealed.

Figures published by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) confirm that 340 deaths have occurred in custody since the beginning of 2012.

The cause of death for the 12 most recent prison deaths - since June of 2022 - have still to be confirmed officially by SPS. 

The Herald has found that at least 97 of the 328 deaths where the cause of death has been confirmed were by suicide, with 27 deaths occurring between 2012 and 2016 and a further 70 deaths by suicide since then. 

The cause of a further seven deaths since 2012 are currently classed as ‘unascertained’, ‘awaiting determination’ or ‘pending investigation’. 

READ MORE: Scottish prisons: Independent review calls for radical reform following deaths

The figures raise questions over the care of prisoners, particularly those who are classed as vulnerable, and the systems that are in place to determine who is at risk.

Linda Allan’s daughter, Katie, took her own life at Polmont Young Offenders Institute in 2018. The 21-year-old had served just three months of a 16-month sentence for drink driving. Following her death, the Allans highlighted how their daughter had been bullied by other prisoners and showed visible signs of distress.

Mrs Allan and her husband have campaigned for radical reform in the way prisons deal with mental health and conducted their own research into deaths by suicide in Scottish prisons, arguing that as many as many as 40% of all prisoner deaths in Scotland over the past decade have been by suicide.

Following legislation passed in 2016, all deaths in custody are subject of a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI). From 2019, the SPS now includes in the cause of death the ‘medical certificate of cause of death’ rather than publish the cause of death as detailed in the FAI determination. 

The Herald: Katie Allan.Katie Allan. (Image: Herald)

 

Mrs Allan told The Herald: “We believe there is a lot of data missing from the SPS website. 

“I’m a researcher and have studied the publicly available records and the gaps. The bottom line is between February 1995 and 2021 prison deaths increased and one of the leading causes of prison deaths are suicides.

“Even when you look at the so-called ‘natural deaths’ a lot of them aren’t natural. It is not natural to die from diabetes when you are in your 20s and living in the community. It’s not natural to die after suffering a stroke in your 30s.

“Even the drug deaths, when you look at them, raise questions. Quite a number are prescription drug deaths, so what is going in terms of safe administration of medication?’ There’s a whole Pandora's box.”

Mrs Allen also believes that a culture of suicide has grown within Scottish prisons which isn’t being challenged effectively. 

She added: “When you go through the FAIs the whole narrative is one of inevitability, of course you are going to die in prison, of course.

“If I had been locked in a cell for 23 hours a day during lockdown I think I would have taken drugs. How do people cope with that environment?

“We know what happened to our daughter. There’s a whole culture of suicide in holds, particulary among young people, which isn’t challenged. 

“There is also the means. In mental health establishments you have ligature free environments, but they don’t exist in the prison service. And if you look at the age it’s young people mainly or younger. It’s not the older population, it’s not lifetime prisoners. It’s younger people usually early on in their sentence or on remand.”

In 2019, the Scottish Government ordered a review into how deaths are handled after four prisoners - aged between 16 and 83 - died in a two-day period in Scottish prisons.

The subsequent Independent Review of the Response to Deaths in Prison Custody, published in 2021, noted that Scotland not only has one of the highest imprisonment rates of Northern European countries it also has one of the highest mortality rates in prison.

Between 2005 and 2019, an average of 24 people died annually in prison custody in Scotland. Between 2016 and 2019, the annual average rose to 32.5 deaths per annum. 

The Herald: The report of the Independent Review of the Response to Deaths in Prison Custody followed two years of research.The report of the Independent Review of the Response to Deaths in Prison Custody followed two years of research. (Image: Herald)

Death by suicide is the second highest cause of death - behind natural causes - and is the leading cause of death of young people (aged 21 or under) in prison in Scotland.

MSP for Central Scotland, Monica Lennon, said the number of deaths by suicide in Scottish prisons “continues to be alarming”.

Ms Lennon told The Herald: “The number of lives lost to suicide in Scottish prisons continues to be alarming. My thoughts are with the families affected.

“After one of my constituents contacted me with concerns for a relative who was in custody, I carried out some research and the statistics shocked me. It’s worrying that things appear to be getting worse.

“Scotland currently has one of the worst prison death rates in Europe, and this is clearly unacceptable. Everyone who enters custody deserves the right to protection.”

A Scottish Prison Service spokesperson said: “We recognise the profound emotional distress experienced by families when a loved one dies in custody and anything that can be done to provide information and engage with families is to be welcomed.

“All deaths in custody are subject to a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI). The timings of such inquiries are out with our control, but we recognise that getting answers to their questions more quickly is likely to be of significant assistance to families.”