There were a total of 2,040 separate incidents of self-harm in young offender institutions (YOIs) in England and Wales last year. These were the findings of a 14-month investigation carried out by CYP Now.
The statistics have prompted concern about the safety of young people in prison and calls for changes to be made.
They also came within a week of a scathing report by the Healthcare Commission and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation, which found the NHS is failing to meet the health needs of those at risk of offending, as well as young offenders.
The watchdogs argue that insufficient progress has been made since a previous review of youth offending teams (YOTs) was conducted in 2006 and that primary care trusts need to look urgently at how they work with youth justice professionals. The watchdogs want to ensure appropriate and timely healthcare is delivered to young offenders.
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