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 Thameside | HMP Thameside | Natural | Published | 13 Jan 2013 | — |
| Individual at Elmley | HMP Elmley | Self-inflicted | Published | 10 Jan 2013 | — |
| Individual at Whatton | HMP Whatton | Natural | Published | 8 Jan 2013 | — |
| Individual at Full Sutton | HMP Full Sutton | Natural | Published | 8 Jan 2013 | — |
| Individual at Altcourse | HMP Altcourse | Self-inflicted | Published | 2 Jan 2013 | — |
| Individual at Long Lartin | HMP Long Lartin | Other | Published | 2 Jan 2013 | — |
| Individual at Altcourse | HMP Altcourse | Self-inflicted | Published | 31 Dec 2012 | — |
| Individual at Bedford | HMP Bedford | Natural | Published | 30 Dec 2012 | — |
| Individual at Northallerton | HMP Northallerton | Self-inflicted | Published | 28 Dec 2012 | — |
| Individual at Norwich | HMP Norwich | Self-inflicted | Published | 28 Dec 2012 | — |
| Individual at Lewes | HMP Lewes | Natural | Published | 25 Dec 2012 | — |
| Individual at Risley | HMP Risley | Natural | Published | 23 Dec 2012 | — |
| Individual at Cardiff | HMP Cardiff | Self-inflicted | Published | 18 Dec 2012 | — |
| Individual at Littlehey | HMP Littlehey | Natural | Published | 17 Dec 2012 | — |
| Individual at Isle of Wight | HMP Isle of Wight | Self-inflicted | Published | 16 Dec 2012 | — |
| Individual at Risley | HMP Risley | Self-inflicted | Published | 15 Dec 2012 | — |
| Individual at Manchester | HMP Manchester | Self-inflicted | Published | 13 Dec 2012 | — |
| Individual at Foston Hall | HMP Foston Hall | Self-inflicted | Published | 10 Dec 2012 | — |
| Individual at Parc | HMP Parc | Natural | Published | 7 Dec 2012 | — |
| Individual at Acklington | HMP Acklington | Natural | Published | 6 Dec 2012 | — |
| Individual at Elmley | HMP Elmley | Self-inflicted | Published | 28 Nov 2012 | — |
| Individual at Ozanam House | Ozanam House | Natural | Published | 22 Nov 2012 | — |
| Individual at Exeter | HMP Exeter | Other | Published | 22 Nov 2012 | — |
| Individual at The Mount | HMP The Mount | Natural | Published | 21 Nov 2012 | — |
| Individual at Whatton | HMP Whatton | Natural | Published | 20 Nov 2012 | — |
| Individual at Parc | HMP Parc | Natural | Published | 19 Nov 2012 | — |
| Individual at Cardiff | HMP Cardiff | Self-inflicted | Published | 17 Nov 2012 | — |
| Individual at Cardiff | HMP Cardiff | Natural | Published | 17 Nov 2012 | — |
| Individual at Belmarsh | HMP Belmarsh | Other | Published | 15 Nov 2012 | — |
| Individual at Hewell | HMP Hewell | Self-inflicted | Published | 13 Nov 2012 | — |
| Individual at Full Sutton | HMP Full Sutton | Natural | Published | 13 Nov 2012 | — |
| Individual at Mandeville House | Mandeville House | Self-inflicted | Published | 13 Nov 2012 | — |
| Individual at Shrewsbury | HMP Shrewsbury | Natural | Published | 8 Nov 2012 | — |
| Individual at Parc | HMP Parc | Other | Published | 6 Nov 2012 | — |
| Individual at Frankland | HMP Frankland | Natural | Published | 6 Nov 2012 | — |
| Individual at Trent House | Trent House | Natural | Published | 2 Nov 2012 | — |
| Individual at Burdett Lodge | Burdett Lodge | Other | Published | 1 Nov 2012 | — |
| Individual at Isle of Wight | HMP Isle of Wight | Natural | Published | 1 Nov 2012 | — |
| Individual at Norwich | HMP Norwich | Natural | Published | 30 Oct 2012 | — |
| Individual at Harmondsworth | IRC Harmondsworth | Natural | Published | 30 Oct 2012 | — |
| Individual at Elmley | HMP Elmley | Self-inflicted | Published | 28 Oct 2012 | — |
| Individual at Wayland | HMP Wayland | Natural | Published | 28 Oct 2012 | — |
| Individual at Isle of Wight | HMP Isle of Wight | Natural | Published | 22 Oct 2012 | — |
| Individual at Isle of Wight | HMP Isle of Wight | Natural | Published | 20 Oct 2012 | — |
| Individual at Wormwood Scrubs | HMP Wormwood Scrubs | Other | Published | 17 Oct 2012 | — |
| Individual at Gloucester | HMP Gloucester | Self-inflicted | Published | 14 Oct 2012 | — |
| Individual at Isle of Wight | HMP Isle of Wight | Natural | Published | 12 Oct 2012 | — |
| Individual at Chelmsford | HMP Chelmsford | Natural | Published | 11 Oct 2012 | — |
| Individual at Parc | HMP Parc | Natural | Published | 8 Oct 2012 | — |
| Individual at Peterborough | HMP Peterborough | Natural | Published | 7 Oct 2012 | — |