A North-East prison is at the forefront of efforts to cut the number of suicides among inmates. JULIA BREEN reports

Suicide and self-harm rates among prisoners have risen dramatically over the last few years, particularly among first-time offenders and drug addicts.

The desperation of being locked up, and the harsh reality of everyday life, drives some prisoners to mutilate themselves, driving razor blades into the flesh of their arms and legs.

Other inmates have even been found in the process of disembowelling themselves.

About 60 per cent of the suicides occur in local prisons such as Holme House, on Teesside, which sees 50 offenders in and out of its gates every day.

Prisoners are six times more likely to commit suicide than people on the outside.

Barry Corns, a prison officer with 30 years' experience, was appointed as safer custody manager at Holme House last year, under a three-year Government plan to cut suicide rates among inmates nationally.

"There is so much sadness when prisoners are taken away from their families and locked up," he says. "We have to care for them."

Mr Corns believes the prison has become a much happier place since he took on his new role.

Inmates can talk to "listeners" - fellow inmates who are trained by the Samaritans to offer help and guidance.

They also have access to the Samaritans on the phone, day and night, and the charity even has keys to the prison if an inmate is in need of help quickly.

Suicidal prisoners can spend the night in a comfortable room in the hospital wing - the Crisis Suite - where two listeners are there to be with them.

Since Dennis Ferguson became the jail's head listener 17 months ago, he has talked to more than 400 depressed inmates.

He said: "Most of them are people coming off drugs. They might have done some bad things to keep their drugs habit going, and when they come into jail they have to face the guilt."

Listeners Jason Harker and Richard Dunn look after new inmates from the moment they enter the prison.

"We explain the system to them. We tell them what to expect in the first few days of being inside," says Jason Harker.

He added: "They can talk to us in total confidence, and I think they relate to us better because we are inmates like them."