Call for prison inmates to have free phone contracts to reduce suicides

Inspector warns ‘far too frequently’ he finds prisoners who took their own lives had no credit on their phone account

The prisons ombudsman has called for prisoners to get free phone calls (Getty)

The prisons ombudsman has called for inmates to have free phone calls to stem rising rates of suicide in prisons.

Adrian Usher, who was appointed as Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) last April, has demanded an overhaul of the prison telephone system after an inmate took their life every three and a half days in England and Wales last year.

In an article published on the PPO website, he said standard practice currently sees inmates pay for calls by the minute, using money earned working in prison. They are among the worst-paid workers in the country, with inmates earning between £15 and £30 for a five-day week, he said.

But he called for prisoners to be granted minutes for free to ensure they can speak to friends and family “in their darkest hour”.

He also believes leaving access to free phone time under the control of the prison governor will help to incentive good behaviour.

“When I am investigating the circumstances of a self-inflicted death in a prison, far too frequently do I find that they had no credit on their phone account,” Mr Usher said.

“This leaves me to speculate if, in their darkest hour, they had the ability to contact a friend or a family member, would they have made a different choice?”

The ombudsman said all too often inmates who died had no credit on their phone account (PA)

In 2023-24, the PPO’s office started investigations into 104 self-inflicted deaths. This was 13 more than the previous year – an increase of 14 per cent year on year.

With the rise in self-inflicted deaths, the PPO believes there is an opportunity for HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) to change its approach to how phone calls are managed.

He said maintaining contact with family, friends and home communities not only helps to reduce the risk of suicide, but also helps reduce reoffending.

“If you believe that no one in the world beyond the prison gates cares for you, then when you walk out of them there is considerably less shame in offending against that world,” he explained.

“Denying contact with those that care for individual prisoners only serves to push them into a closer connection with a prison world – the rules, both literal and cultural, within which they have spent most of their lives and [which] they can make more sense of.

“Being able to access loved ones in their home communities is a constant reminder that they have something worth getting back to.

“I believe that giving prisoners a desire to return to and remain with those that care for them is a powerful incentive to change.”

He added: “I have regularly shared my thoughts with HMPPS during meetings with their senior leaders and on prison visits: not only would this change make practical sense, but it would also make a positive difference to prison culture and to reducing the rise in self-inflicted deaths.

“We know HMPPS takes many compassionate measures to save lives in prison, but this small change could have a significant and positive outcome for many prisoners. Access to more minutes could help save lives, especially for those in a time of need.

“This change may take months to implement, but I believe this work should start now.”

A Prison Service spokesperson said: “We know phone calls help prisoners maintain family ties and relationships which are vital to their rehabilitation and, so, cutting crime.

“That is why every prison cell in the closed estate has a telephone, support is available from Samaritans 24 hours free-of-charge, and we have kept calls at a reduced rate since the pandemic.”

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.