CONCERNS continue to be raised over prison deaths after it was revealed six inmates took their lives at a jail within a year.

In its annual report, the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) has reflected on the difficult and challenging time of managing on average 950 male inmates under a strict lockdown regime at Durham Prison.

Taking its first prisoners in 1819, HMP Durham is a Georgian era reception and resettlement prison for men and young offenders.

The inspectorate has monitored five months of normal monitoring of the prison and seven months of remote monitoring during a Covid-19 outbreak within the facility.

From November 2019 to October 2020, the IMB said that nine men died in custody, three more than the comparative period.

Three of these deaths were due to natural causes, however six were self-inflicted or caused by self-harm.

The report states: "Deaths in custody continue to be a concern to the board with nine during the reporting year. Three of these deaths were of natural causes; however six were self-inflicted/ self-harm which was three more than the previous corresponding period. The board are informed immediately of these deaths and observe the initial actions and formal reports are scrutinised."

The board said that Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) reports have been critical of the reception process to identify prisoners who may present as potentially at risk of suicide or self-harm.

They said the prison has reviewed this, and a more robust system is now in place.

Of the new safety features is a body scanner installed in July 2020.

Inspectors said the scanner has played a major part in detecting secreted items being brought into the prison, but said, it is of concern that there are cases of prisoners on licence recall testing positive bringing in illicit items.

The board also noted that due to Covid-19 and the length of time prisoners have been in cells, it expected there to be an increase in the rate of self-harm.

However, said it pleasing to see a decrease in the number of incidents from 751 in 2019 to the current level of 522.

They also praised Durham Prison for how it adapted during the pandemic.

Keith Young IMB chair said: “It has been difficult to draw comparisons with the previous year as the prison has had to adapt to the Covid -19 pandemic in ways that are unprecedented. The board is satisfied through evidence gleaned that the implementation of new strategies and planning by the prison was carried out effectively under difficult circumstances”.

"The board has monitored the prison through a combination of remote communication by telephone, and when appropriate personal visits. It has carried out specific monitoring processes, upholding the National Monitoring Framework guidelines, thereby allowing the board to monitor the fair and humane treatment of those in custody."