Attacks on prison officers treble over five years: Justice Minister blames rising numbers of people in jail
The number of attacks on prison officers in Northern Ireland has trebled in the last five years, Stormont has heard.
Justice Minister Naomi Long linked the rise in attacks with increases in the number of people in prison.
The most recent figures from the Department of Justice said the overall average daily prison population rose to 1,877 during the 2023/24 financial year – an increase of 11.4%
Speaking during questions for her department in the Assembly on Monday, Ms Long told MLAs that there were 32 assaults on prison staff in 2020, 71 in 2021, 66 in 2022, 59 in 2023 and 96 in 2024.
The Minister said a higher prisoner population and crowding are the most significant factors contributing to prison instability, incidents and violence.
“Any assault on a prison officer is unacceptable and the prison service continues to maintain a clear focus on the safety of staff and establishments,” she told MLAs.
DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley expressed alarm at the increase in the number of assaults, stating every attack on a prison officer is “beyond comprehension and should be condemned”.
“But to treble the number of attacks is quite astonishing,” he said, asking whether enough staff are being recruited.
Ms Long responded saying the years with lower numbers of attacks correlate with lower prisoner populations.
She said: “Last year it was 59, the year before 66, it goes up and down each time – but what we do know is the size of the population will directly impact on the level of volatility within the prisons.”