KMS Response

Response to question: 020525: Protective Body Armour

Following a recent serious incident at a prison, HM Prison and Probation Service is undertaking an urgent, rapid review to establish whether it is necessary for prison officers in England and Wales to wear Protective Body Armour (including anti-stab vests) either routinely or when working in high-risk environments within the prison estate. As part of this review, we are keen to explore the use of protective body armour in other jurisdictions and would welcome feedback on some questions. We will require responses by 16 May in order to inform urgent advice to the Ministry of Justice and to HM Prison and Probation Service on this issue. Prisons in England and Wales are seeing an increase in serious assaults on staff by prisoners, with the rate of serious assaults on staff having increased by 12% in the 12 months to December 2024. We are also seeing an increase in the number of weapons found in our prisons – there were 11,641 incidents where weapons were found in the 12 months to March 2024 (an increase of 24% compared to the previous 12 months).

Fieds marked with * are mandatory

First Name *

Last Name *

Email *

Your Agency *

Country *

Do you provide protective body armour to your prison staff, and if so, what type of protective body armour do you provide – does it include anti-stab vests?

If you do provide protective body armour, is this issued to all staff, prison officers only, or a mix of prisoner facing roles?

If protective body armour is used, what setting is it used in (for example, in certain types of prison, high risk settings, when escorting prisoners outside of prison)?

Where protective body armour is provided, is it mandatory or optional for prison staff to wear it? If optional, what is the level of take-up?

What impact has the provision of protective body armour made on:
(- Staff safety (both physically, and any perceptions of staff feeling safer because they wear them)? - Maintaining positive staff prisoner relations? - Levels of assaults / violence with a bladed article. We welcome any data you can provide in relation to impacts.)

Are there any particular benefits or drawbacks associated with prison staff wearing protective body armour, and how did you harness the benefits and address the drawbacks?

Do you agree with publishing this information publicly on EuroPris website? Yes No

If you agree, the information will be published publicly on EuroPris website. If you don't agree, the information you provide will be shared only with National Prison Agencies.

Response to question: 020525: Protective Body Armour

SUCCESS!