Self harm high at women's prison

There has been a 37% rise in self harm cases in prison nationally

A women's prison in West Yorkshire has one of the highest rates of inmates self harming, figures show.

The Howard League for Penal Reform found there were 1,193 incidents of prisoners at New Hall in Wakefield hurting themselves in 2007.

The charity said although the number had dropped from 1,266 in 2006, it was still among the top 10 highest in the country.

Self injury cases in prisons nationally have risen by 37% over five years.

The charity said rates in women's prisons had increased even further, with a 48% rise in recorded incidents between 2003 and 2007.

Other prisons with high self injury rates included Holloway and Styal, both women's prisons.

The figures show Leeds Prison had 146 cases of self harm for the same five-year period and Wakefield Prison had 120 incidents.

Director of the Howard League charity Frances Crook said: "When men, women and children in jail cut themselves and otherwise assault their own bodies, it is not a cry for help, it is a scream."