Inquests into Deaths in Prison: Suicide and Young Offenders

Introduction

Deaths in prison are always a concern; that is more so when the death is by the deceased’s own hand, or when the person who has died is a young person.

There is a considerable overlap; research by the organisation ‘Inquest’ has found that 83% of young people who have died in prison have done so from self-inflicted injuries. Deaths in prison will engage Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, and so inevitably lead to an inquest.

It is important for all of those who take on these instructions, whether new to the area or established, to be fully conversant with the law and precedent. This webinar is designed to a helpful refresher to any practitioner dealing with this particular area.

What You Will Learn

This webinar will cover the following:

• A reminder of the law, practice and procedure in relation to inquests
• Covid-19 and inquests: legal updates and guidance
• Key legal considerations in relation to deaths in prisons
• Focus on suicides in prison: law and precedent
• Focus on the deaths of young people in prisons: law and precedent

This webinar was recorded on 24th January 2022