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 Chelmsford | HMP Chelmsford | Self-inflicted | Published | 6 Jan 2007 | — |
| Individual at Whitemoor | HMP Whitemoor | Self-inflicted | Published | 5 Jan 2007 | — |
| Individual at Bullingdon | HMP Bullingdon | Natural | Published | 5 Jan 2007 | — |
| Individual at Felmores | Felmores | Natural | Published | 5 Jan 2007 | — |
| Individual at Frankland | HMP Frankland | Natural | Published | 1 Jan 2007 | — |
| Individual at Maidstone | HMP Maidstone | Natural | Published | 31 Dec 2006 | — |
| Individual at Channings Wood | HMP Channings Wood | Natural | Published | 28 Dec 2006 | — |
| Individual at Norwich | HMP Norwich | Natural | Published | 27 Dec 2006 | — |
| Individual at Stafford | HMP Stafford | Natural | Published | 26 Dec 2006 | — |
| Individual at Wakefield | HMP Wakefield | Self-inflicted | Published | 18 Dec 2006 | — |
| Individual at Stafford | HMP Stafford | Self-inflicted | Published | 15 Dec 2006 | — |
| Individual at Isle of Wight | HMP Isle of Wight | Natural | Published | 8 Dec 2006 | — |
| Individual at Littlehey | HMP Littlehey | Natural | Published | 7 Dec 2006 | — |
| Individual at Leeds | HMP Leeds | Self-inflicted | Published | 6 Dec 2006 | — |
| Individual at Leeds | HMP Leeds | Natural | Published | 5 Dec 2006 | — |
| Individual at Norwich Crown Court | Norwich Crown Court | Self-inflicted | Published | 4 Dec 2006 | — |
| Individual at Leeds | HMP Leeds | Natural | Published | 30 Nov 2006 | — |
| Individual at Liverpool | HMP Liverpool | Self-inflicted | Published | 29 Nov 2006 | — |
| Individual at Nottingham | HMP Nottingham | Natural | Published | 25 Nov 2006 | — |
| Individual at Durham | HMP Durham | Self-inflicted | Published | 22 Nov 2006 | — |
| Individual at Linden Bank | Linden Bank | Self-inflicted | Published | 19 Nov 2006 | — |
| Individual at Whitemoor | HMP Whitemoor | Self-inflicted | Published | 19 Nov 2006 | — |
| Individual at Frankland | HMP Frankland | Natural | Published | 15 Nov 2006 | — |
| Individual at Wellingborough | HMP Wellingborough | Natural | Published | 12 Nov 2006 | — |
| Individual at Lincoln | HMP Lincoln | Self-inflicted | Published | 10 Nov 2006 | — |
| Individual at Rye Hill | HMP Rye Hill | Natural | Published | 10 Nov 2006 | — |
| Individual at Wilton Place | Wilton Place | Natural | Published | 3 Nov 2006 | — |
| Individual at Acklington | HMP Acklington | Natural | Published | 31 Oct 2006 | — |
| Individual at Gartree | HMP Gartree | Natural | Published | 26 Oct 2006 | — |
| Individual at Northallerton | HMP Northallerton | Other | Published | 25 Oct 2006 | — |
| Individual at Maidstone | HMP Maidstone | Natural | Published | 25 Oct 2006 | — |
| Individual at Dartmoor | HMP Dartmoor | Other | Published | 25 Oct 2006 | — |
| Individual at Isle of Wight | HMP Isle of Wight | Self-inflicted | Published | 23 Oct 2006 | — |
| Individual at Everthorpe | HMP Everthorpe | Self-inflicted | Published | 22 Oct 2006 | — |
| Individual at Channings Wood | HMP Channings Wood | Natural | Published | 20 Oct 2006 | — |
| Individual at Cardiff | HMP Cardiff | Natural | Published | 19 Oct 2006 | — |
| Individual at Cookham Wood | HMP Cookham Wood | Natural | Published | 15 Oct 2006 | — |
| Individual at Wormwood Scrubs | HMP Wormwood Scrubs | Natural | Published | 14 Oct 2006 | — |
| Individual at Chelmsford | HMP Chelmsford | Self-inflicted | Published | 14 Oct 2006 | — |
| Individual at Gartree | HMP Gartree | Natural | Published | 12 Oct 2006 | — |
| Individual at Acklington | HMP Acklington | Natural | Published | 11 Oct 2006 | — |
| Individual at Manchester | HMP Manchester | Self-inflicted | Published | 9 Oct 2006 | — |
| Individual at Blakenhurst | HMP Blakenhurst | Self-inflicted | Published | 9 Oct 2006 | — |
| Individual at Whatton | HMP Whatton | Self-inflicted | Published | 8 Oct 2006 | — |
| Individual at Eastwood Park | HMP Eastwood Park | Self-inflicted | Published | 2 Oct 2006 | — |
| Individual at Bristol | HMP Bristol | Self-inflicted | Published | 1 Oct 2006 | — |
| Individual at North Sea Camp | HMP North Sea Camp | Natural | Published | 1 Oct 2006 | — |
| Individual at Ford | HMP Ford | Other | Published | 30 Sep 2006 | — |
| Individual at Whatton | HMP Whatton | Natural | Published | 29 Sep 2006 | — |
| Individual at Peterborough | HMP Peterborough | Other | Published | 29 Sep 2006 | — |