The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has been investigating 80 self-inflicted deaths amongst 18 - 24 year olds over the last 7 years.
In his report, Nigel Newcomen CBE said: "Young adults can be a difficult and challenging, as well as potentially vulnerable, population to manage.
"In our sample of 80 cases of self-inflicted deaths going back to 2007, challenging behaviour was common, with prison records detailing warnings for poor behaviour, formal adjudications and punishments for breaches of prison rules."
The report also found:
-More needs to be done to tackle bullying in prisons
-Better mental health treatment is needed across the board
-Prisons need to realise the impact of inmates being separated from families
-More advice and support needs to be given to prisoners facing deportation
Darren Richards is from Youth for Christ's Reflex project working with young offenders.
Speaking to Premier he reiterated the need for more support for suicidal prisoners.
He said: "I spend a lot of time in prisons and the young men and women I meet are...often vulnerable, low in confidence, can be manipulated.
"There are certainly people who need an extra layer of support."
The full report can be found here: http://www.ppo.gov.uk
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