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| Report reveals 500 custody deaths | Report reveals 500 custody deaths |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Between 500 and 600 people die every year in state custody in England and Wales, a report due out later will say. | Between 500 and 600 people die every year in state custody in England and Wales, a report due out later will say. |
| The figures, seen by the BBC, were compiled for the first time by the Forum for Preventing Deaths in Custody. | The figures, seen by the BBC, were compiled for the first time by the Forum for Preventing Deaths in Custody. |
| They cover deaths in prisons, police cells, secure hospitals and other establishments and include those from natural causes, suicides and murders. | They cover deaths in prisons, police cells, secure hospitals and other establishments and include those from natural causes, suicides and murders. |
| The forum was established to help cut deaths in custody - but campaigners say it is toothless and lacks resources. | The forum was established to help cut deaths in custody - but campaigners say it is toothless and lacks resources. |
| The report is the first time figures from across the criminal justice system have been brought together for a complete look at deaths in state custody. | The report is the first time figures from across the criminal justice system have been brought together for a complete look at deaths in state custody. |
| Toothless | Toothless |
| The aim of the forum is to spread best practice and information on preventing custody deaths. | The aim of the forum is to spread best practice and information on preventing custody deaths. |
| But the campaign group Inquest described the forum as "toothless" because it had no formal powers and lacked resources. | But the campaign group Inquest described the forum as "toothless" because it had no formal powers and lacked resources. |
| The forum was established after the Joint Committee on Human Rights called for the Home Office and Department for Health to set up a multi-agency body to monitor deaths in any form of state custody, including mental hospitals. | The forum was established after the Joint Committee on Human Rights called for the Home Office and Department for Health to set up a multi-agency body to monitor deaths in any form of state custody, including mental hospitals. |
| The forum is chaired by John Wadham, the legal head of the incoming Commission for Equality and Human Rights and formerly deputy chair of the Independent Police Complaints Commission. | The forum is chaired by John Wadham, the legal head of the incoming Commission for Equality and Human Rights and formerly deputy chair of the Independent Police Complaints Commission. |
| Other members include representatives from the police, Prison Service and Youth Justice Board. | Other members include representatives from the police, Prison Service and Youth Justice Board. |
| The forum has no funding of its own - but says it wants to bring about improvements through its standing and credibility among criminal justice professionals. | The forum has no funding of its own - but says it wants to bring about improvements through its standing and credibility among criminal justice professionals. |
| Pauline Campbell, whose daughter Sarah died in custody, told BBC News that improvements were essential. | |
| She said: "I think prisons are overwhelmed. They're being used as social dustbins for people who are mentally ill, drug and alcohol dependents, the homeless and so on. | |
| "And given that we have such a high proportion of prisoners who have psychiatric difficulties, it is inevitable that these tragic deaths will occur unless action is taken to prevent this happening." |