Prison deaths in Scotland have reached a record high, with 54 fatalities reported in 2023/24, the most since 2012. This marks a rise of 15 deaths from the previous year. Among these, ten were classified as probable suicides. Justice Secretary Angela Constance said that ensuring safety in prisons is a top priority. Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: “The record number of deaths in custody is deeply concerning and underlines the scale of the crisis in Scotland’s prisons under the SNP,” while Scottish Labour justice spokesman Pauline McNeill said: “These shocking figures show Scotland’s prisons are at crisis point and people are dying as a result.”
