Justice secretary denies prison crisis: what do the stats say?

Assaults, suicides and prison populations are all on the rise but Chris Grayling says it's all under control

A guard stands behind a locked gate at Pentonville prison
(Image credit: Ian Waldie/Getty Images)

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling insists there is "not a crisis in our prisons", despite the fact that assaults, suicides and overcrowding have risen in the last year. In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he admitted that the government was facing "pressures" but he repeated "there is not a crisis". Here's what the latest prison statistics have to say:

Violence in prisons

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