Source · Deaths in custody
PPO Fatal Incident Reports
6,401 incidents
5,674 published
1,165 recommendations
1,633 self-inflicted
3,373 natural causes
Deaths in custody investigated by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman. 26% of deaths are self-inflicted. Source: PPO.
Top recommendation themes
Learning & thematic publications
| Title | Type | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| PPO response to JSC Inquiry into Children and Young Adults in the Secure Estate | Consultation response | Jun 2026 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 22: Self-inflicted deaths in reception prisons | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Mar 2026 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 21: Segregation | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Mar 2026 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 20: Epilepsy | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Nov 2025 | |
| Annual Report 2024 to 2025 | Annual report | Jul 2025 | |
| Policy into Practice: Handling of prisoners’ property | Policy into Practice | Mar 2025 | |
| Policy into Practice: Handling of property complaints | Policy into Practice | Mar 2025 | |
| Complaints Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 11: Property complaints | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Mar 2025 | |
| PPO response to JSC Tackling Drugs in Prison Inquiry | Consultation response | Feb 2025 | |
| PPO response to JHAC Inquiry into Prison Culture | Consultation response | Feb 2025 | |
| PPO response to JSC inquiry into Rehabilitation and Resettlement | Consultation response | Feb 2025 | |
| Policy into Practice: Emergency Response | Policy into Practice | Jan 2025 | |
| PPO response to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024/25 call for evidence | Consultation response | Jan 2025 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 19: Post-release death investigations 2 | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Jul 2024 | |
| Annual report 2022-23 | Annual report | Jul 2024 | |
| Annual Report 2023-24 | Annual report | Jul 2024 | |
| Policy into practice: Use of force | Policy into Practice | Feb 2024 | |
| PPO response to the inquiry into prison population and capacity | Consultation response | Nov 2023 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 18: Self-inflicted deaths of IPP prisoners | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Sep 2023 | |
| Investigating deaths after release from prison – a pilot evaluation | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Jan 2023 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 17: Post-release death investigations | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Jan 2023 | |
| PPO response to the inquiry into the Prison Operational Workforce | Consultation response | Jan 2023 | |
| Annual Report 2021-22 | Annual report | Oct 2022 | |
| Policy into Practice: Use of restraints on escort | Policy into Practice | Sep 2022 | |
| PPO Response to the Inquiry into IPP sentences | Consultation response | Jan 2022 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 16: Second wave COVID-19 related deaths | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Dec 2021 | |
| Annual Report 2020-21 | Annual report | Sep 2021 | |
| PPO responses to the Inquiry into Women in Prison | Consultation response | Aug 2021 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 15: COVID-19 PPO fatal incident investigations | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Feb 2021 | |
| Complaints Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 10: COVID-19 PPO Complaints | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Dec 2020 |
Incidents
| Name | Establishment | Cause | Status | Date of death | Recs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual at Elmley | HMP Elmley | Self-inflicted | Published | 12 Jul 2008 | — |
| Individual at Hull | HMP Hull | Natural | Published | 11 Jul 2008 | — |
| Individual at Guernsey State Prison | Guernsey State Prison | Natural | Published | 11 Jul 2008 | — |
| Individual at Whatton | HMP Whatton | Natural | Published | 7 Jul 2008 | — |
| Individual at Doncaster | HMP Doncaster | Other | Published | 6 Jul 2008 | — |
| Individual at Featherstone | HMP Featherstone | Self-inflicted | Published | 4 Jul 2008 | — |
| Individual at Altcourse | HMP Altcourse | Natural | Published | 27 Jun 2008 | — |
| Individual at Doncaster | HMP Doncaster | Natural | Published | 17 Jun 2008 | — |
| Individual at The Verne | HMP The Verne | Natural | Published | 16 Jun 2008 | — |
| Individual at High Down | HMP High Down | Self-inflicted | Published | 14 Jun 2008 | — |
| Individual at Lincoln | HMP Lincoln | Self-inflicted | Published | 13 Jun 2008 | — |
| Individual at Wymott | HMP Wymott | Natural | Published | 13 Jun 2008 | — |
| Individual at Risley | HMP Risley | Natural | Published | 10 Jun 2008 | — |
| Individual at Isle of Wight | HMP Isle of Wight | Natural | Published | 9 Jun 2008 | — |
| Individual at Shrewsbury | HMP Shrewsbury | Self-inflicted | Published | 9 Jun 2008 | — |
| Individual at Dovegate | HMP Dovegate | Self-inflicted | Published | 8 Jun 2008 | — |
| Individual at Bristol | HMP Bristol | Natural | Published | 8 Jun 2008 | — |
| Individual at Wymott | HMP Wymott | Self-inflicted | Published | 7 Jun 2008 | — |
| Individual at Wakefield | HMP Wakefield | Self-inflicted | Published | 6 Jun 2008 | — |
| Individual at Holme House | HMP Holme House | Natural | Published | 4 Jun 2008 | — |
| Individual at Belmarsh | HMP Belmarsh | Natural | Published | 2 Jun 2008 | — |
| Individual at Isle of Wight | HMP Isle of Wight | Natural | Published | 28 May 2008 | — |
| Individual at Victoria House | Victoria House | Natural | Published | 18 May 2008 | — |
| Individual at Norwich | HMP Norwich | Natural | Published | 15 May 2008 | — |
| Individual at High Down | HMP High Down | Self-inflicted | Published | 14 May 2008 | — |
| Individual at High Down | HMP High Down | Natural | Published | 13 May 2008 | — |
| Individual at Leicester | HMP Leicester | Natural | Published | 12 May 2008 | — |
| Individual at Risley | HMP Risley | Natural | Published | 9 May 2008 | — |
| Individual at Bristol | HMP Bristol | Self-inflicted | Published | 8 May 2008 | — |
| Individual at Styal | HMP Styal | Natural | Published | 7 May 2008 | — |
| Individual at Highpoint | HMP Highpoint | Natural | Published | 6 May 2008 | — |
| Individual at Littlehey | HMP Littlehey | Self-inflicted | Published | 29 Apr 2008 | — |
| Individual at Altcourse | HMP Altcourse | Self-inflicted | Published | 29 Apr 2008 | — |
| Individual at Chorlton | Chorlton | Self-inflicted | Published | 29 Apr 2008 | — |
| Individual at Styal | HMP Styal | Natural | Published | 28 Apr 2008 | — |
| Individual at Altcourse | HMP Altcourse | Self-inflicted | Published | 26 Apr 2008 | — |
| Individual at Liverpool | HMP Liverpool | Self-inflicted | Published | 22 Apr 2008 | — |
| Individual at Gloucester | HMP Gloucester | Natural | Published | 21 Apr 2008 | — |
| Individual at Elmley | HMP Elmley | Self-inflicted | Published | 17 Apr 2008 | — |
| Individual at Isle of Wight | HMP Isle of Wight | Self-inflicted | Published | 14 Apr 2008 | — |
| Individual at Pentonville | HMP Pentonville | Self-inflicted | Published | 9 Apr 2008 | — |
| Individual at Lawson House | Lawson House | Other | Published | 7 Apr 2008 | — |
| Individual at Featherstone | HMP Featherstone | Self-inflicted | Published | 6 Apr 2008 | — |
| Individual at Norwich | HMP Norwich | Natural | Published | 5 Apr 2008 | — |
| Individual at Swaleside | HMP Swaleside | Other | Published | 4 Apr 2008 | — |
| Individual at Norwich | HMP Norwich | Natural | Published | 31 Mar 2008 | — |
| Individual at Hull | HMP Hull | Natural | Published | 31 Mar 2008 | — |
| Individual at Pentonville | HMP Pentonville | Self-inflicted | Published | 30 Mar 2008 | — |
| Individual at Bullingdon | HMP Bullingdon | Self-inflicted | Published | 29 Mar 2008 | — |
| Individual at Isle of Wight | HMP Isle of Wight | Natural | Published | 29 Mar 2008 | — |