By Karin Goodwin in The Ferret
Phone calls made by prisoners to the Samaritans more than doubled to over 13,000 in just six months, The Ferret can reveal, raising concerns about the lack of mental health support in jails.
The figures from August 2021 to January 2022 show an average of 2,183 calls were made by prisoners every month to the charity helpline, aimed at those struggling to cope or at risk of suicide.
Academics and campaigners said the high volume of calls, revealed by a freedom of information request, showed the huge level of mental need, fueled by increased isolation.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions over the last two years, prisoners have often been locked up for more than 23 hours a day, which some claim is de facto solitary confinement.