Almost half of the 45 deaths in custody in Northern Ireland since 2016 have either been confirmed as suicide or were potentially self-inflicted.
It comes after this newspaper revealed that eight people have died in custody here in the last 12 months.
Inquests into all deaths in custody take place, in addition to investigations by the Prisoner Ombudsman, a role to which former senior PSNI officer Darrin Jones was recently appointed.
Prior to Mr Jones being appointed, the post was filled on an interim basis by Jacqui Durkin, the Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice Northern Ireland.
Justice Minister Naomi Long revealed this week that there have been 45 deaths of individuals in the custody of the NI Prison Service since 2016.
There are three prisons here: Maghaberry, Magilligan and Hydebank. Together they house almost 1,900 inmates.
Of the 45 deaths since 2016, four have been confirmed as due to natural causes, with a further 18 listed as being potentially due to natural causes.
Maghaberry Prison
An inquest found one death to be drug-related, with two others potentially drug-related.
Seven fatalities have been confirmed as suicide and 12 are potentially self-inflicted – when combined, 42% of the total deaths.
One death was found to be “undetermined” at inquest.
Professor Siobhan O’Neill, Northern Ireland’s Mental Health Champion, said it is important that the authorities examine the causes of deaths in custody and consider the extent to which they may have been preventable.
“It’s also vital that the recommendations made by the Prisoner Ombudsman following such deaths, for both the Prison Service and health services, are implemented,” she said.
“My thoughts are with the relatives and friends of the deceased, the staff who are affected by the deaths and it’s reassuring to know that professional support is provided as necessary.”
Professor Siobhan O’Neill, Mental Health Champion for Northern Ireland
Ms Long said: “Any death in custody is a tragedy and I would like to extend my sympathy to any families who have been affected by the death of a loved one in prison.”
She added: “In all deaths in custody the appropriate authorities are notified of the deaths. The Prisoner Ombudsman takes forward investigations into the deaths and the cause of death is determined by the coroner following an inquest.
“The Prisoner Ombudsman makes recommendations for both the Northern Ireland Prison Service and the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust following a Death in Custody investigation.
“Deaths in custody impact not just on the families of those individuals but also on other prisoners and prison staff. Support is provided as necessary after each incident.”
This newspaper recently reported how eight people had died in custody here in the previous 12 months.
In July, the mother of a man who took his own life in Maghaberry claimed the way she was informed about his death was “nothing short of appalling”.
Details of the case emerged from an investigation report by the Prisoner Ombudsman relating to an inmate identified as Mr O, who was 33 years old when he was found dead in his cell in 2020.
The report tells of how his mother was told of his death in a phone call from ‘Governor A’.
The mother told investigators: “It recounts how his mother learned of his death in a phone call from ‘Governor A’.
“It was a brutal statement with no forewarning, no invitation to take a seat, no preparation in the form of a warning of impending bad news.
“The governor did not even afford me 30 seconds to call my husband in from the garden.
“I wish to record my strongest objection to the manner in which the message was delivered and the conduct of the messenger himself.”
The report added that the governor’s recollection of the call is “somewhat different”.