Violence in UK prisons has reached record levels, with both prisoner assaults and assaults on staff rising due to overcrowding and strains on the prison system.
In June 2025, government research highlighted a worrying link between overcrowded conditions and increased violence in prisons, as offenders are nearly twenty per cent more likely to be involved in assaults in overpopulated jails.
Consequently, the government announced a £40 million investment in new security measures aimed at reducing violence behind bars.
4.8 (466 reviews) As reported in the BBC, a Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “This government inherited a prison system in crisis, overcrowded and rife with violence, and we are fixing this by delivering the fastest prison-building programme in more than a century.”
To gain a full understanding of the scope of the issue, Legal Expert set out to uncover the true statistics behind prison assaults.
How Legal Expert Can Help
Here at Legal Expert, we can help anyone who has suffered a personal injury through no fault of their own. If you have been assaulted and suffered harm as an inmate or prison staff member, get in touch today for free advice.
How We Conducted Our Research
We sent out Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) asking for the number of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and assaults on staff in the last three years, broken down by UK prison and by year.
Results: Statistics On Prison Assaults
The prison population has increased annually for the last thirty years, rising from 43,000 in 1994 to over 88,000 in 2024.
Ministry of Justice statistics show that, in the past year, there were 10,568 assaults on prison staff and 20,570 prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – 7% and 9% increases on the previous year, respectively.
Resulting figures collated by the Institute for Government found that, in crowded accommodation, for each 10 additional prisoners per 1,000 prisoners, there was around 1 more prisoner-on-prisoner assault and around 1.5 more staff assaults.
Aylesbury
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Aylesbury
Assaults on prison staff – Aylesbury
Bedford
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Bedford
Assaults on prison staff – Bedford
Belmarsh
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Belmarsh
Assaults on prison staff – Belmarsh
Berwyn
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Berwyn
Assaults on prison staff – Berwyn
Birmingham
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Birmingham
Assaults on prison staff – Birmingham
Bristol
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Bristol
Assaults on prison staff – Bristol
Brixton
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Brixton
Assaults on prison staff – Brixton
Bullingdon
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Bullingdon
Assaults on prison staff – Bullingdon
Bure
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Bure
Assaults on prison staff – Bure
Cardiff
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Cardiff
Assaults on prison staff – Cardiff
Channings Wood
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Channings Wood
Assaults on prison staff – Channings Wood
Chelmsford
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Chelmsford
Assaults on prison staff – Chelmsford
Coldingley
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Coldingley
Assaults on prison staff – Coldingley
Dartmoor
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Dartmoor
Assaults on prison staff – Dartmoor
Deerbolt
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Deerbolt
Assaults on prison staff – Deerbolt
Doncaster
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Doncaster
Assaults on prison staff – Doncaster
Dovegate
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Dovegate
Assaults on prison staff – Dovegate
Durham
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Durham
Assaults on prison staff – Durham
Erlestoke
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Erlestoke
Assaults on prison staff – Erlestoke
Exeter
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Exeter
Assaults on prison staff – Exeter
Feltham
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Feltham
Assaults on prison staff – Feltham
Five Wells
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Five Wells
Assaults on prison staff – Five Wells
Forest Bank
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Forest Bank
Assaults on prison staff – Forest Bank
Foston Hall
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Foston Hall
Assaults on prison staff – Foston Hall
Full Sutton
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Full Sutton
Assaults on prison staff – Full Sutton
Gartree
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Gartree
Assaults on prison staff – Gartree
Guys Marsh
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Guys Marsh
Assaults on prison staff – Guys Marsh
Hewell
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Hewell
Assaults on prison staff – Hewell
Lancashire (Combined)
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Lancashire
Assaults on prison staff – Lancashire
Mount (The)
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – The Mount
Assaults on prison staff – The Mount
New Hall
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – New Hall
Assaults on prison staff – New Hall
Northumberland
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Northumberland
Assaults on prison staff – Northumberland
Norwich
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Norwich
Assaults on prison staff – Norwich
Nottingham
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Nottingham
Assaults on prison staff – Nottingham
Onley
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Onley
Assaults on prison staff – Onley
Parc
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Parc
Assaults on prison staff – Parc
Pentonville
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Pentonville
Assaults on prison staff – Pentonville
Peterborough
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Peterborough
Assaults on prison staff – Peterborough
Portland
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Portland
Assaults on prison staff – Portland
Risley
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Risley
Assaults on prison staff – Risley
Stocken
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Stocken
Assaults on prison staff – Stocken
Stoke Heath
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Stoke Heath
Assaults on prison staff – Stoke Heath
Swaleside
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Swaleside
Assaults on prison staff – Swaleside
Swansea
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Swansea
Assaults on prison staff – Swansea
The Verne
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – The Verne
Assaults on prison staff – The Verne
Wayland
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Wayland
Assaults on prison staff – Wayland
Winchester
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Winchester
Assaults on prison staff – Winchester
Woodhill
Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults – Woodhill
Assaults on prison staff – Woodhill
