UK: Self-harm, depression and child detention uncovered in detention centre inspection
30 March 2017
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UK
Self-harm, depression and child detention uncovered in detention centre inspection
30.3.17
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"The number of people self-harming in one of the UK’s immigration detention centres has increased three-fold in four years, an inspection report has revealed, prompting NGOs to highlight an “urgent” need for detention reform.
An unannounced inspection of Morton Hall immigration removal centre in Lincolnonshire, carried out in November, found incidents of self-harm among detainees had nearly tripled since the previous assessment in March 2013 – rising from 30 to 83 in the six months before the inspection, with the number of individuals involved up from 19 to 53.
The report, published on Tuesday by the Chief Inspector of Prisons, found 49 per cent of detainees said they had problems with feeling depressed or suicidal on arrival — a “significant” increase on four years earlier."
See: Self-harming incidents triple at UK immigration removal centre, report reveals (The Independent, link)
See the report: Her Majesty's Inspector of Prisons: Report on an unannounced inspection of Morton Hall Immigration Removal Centre 21 – 25 November 2016 (pdf)
Analysis: Child was held for a staggering 151 days in men’s immigration lockup Morton Hall in Lincolnshire(OpenDemocracy, link) by Clare Sambrook:
"A child was held for 151 days in a dangerous and prison-like UK immigration removal centre among adult men. Other children were held for 12 days and 36 days at Morton Hall, where staff had failed to put a convicted child abuser on their list of detainees who might pose a risk to children.
Some children were detained for long periods while local authorities argued over who was responsible for assessing their age.
The details emerged today in a report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons, who paid a surprise visit to Morton Hall immigration removal centre near Lincoln last November."
And: ‘People come in here normal, but they get ill.’ Protesting against deaths at a UK migrant jail (OpenDemocracy, link) by John Grayson
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