Prison Officers: Crimes of Violence

HMPPS regularly reviews sickness absence, assaults and workforce data to understand the impact on prison officers and other frontline staff. Assaults can have a serious effect on individuals, including physical injury, psychological harm and time away from work, and can also affect operational resilience where absences occur in frontline prison grades. However, current analysis indicates that assault-related absence remains a relatively small proportion of overall sickness absence. The impact is most visible in Band 3-5 operational prison grades, reflecting their greater exposure to physical interventions and workplace incidents. HMPPS considers this alongside wider evidence that operational prison staff experience higher levels of sickness absence linked to the demands of custodial environments, exposure to trauma and the physical nature of the role. Trends in assaults, absence and workforce metrics are monitored through established performance and attendance management arrangements, enabling targeted interventions where risks are greatest. Staff who experience assaults are supported through post-incident care, welfare support and the Staff Assault Guidance, helping to minimise the impact on individuals, support recovery, improve staff safety and reduce the effect on operational delivery.

With regards to retention there is a comprehensive approach by HMPPS to tackle retention challenges across both the Prison and Probation Service. Central to this effort is the retention strategy and retention oversight process. Complementing the strategy is a retention toolkit informed by research into the drivers of attrition. This toolkit supports local, regional, and national interventions and is used alongside structured exit interviews to gather feedback and shape future actions. The retention oversight process, which targets high-attrition sites includes deep dives led by occupational psychologists to uncover root causes and share best practices. Coordination of national interventions is managed through the Retention Delivery Committee, ensuring strategic alignment and minimal disruption to operational sites. The latest published HMPPS workforce data, including leaving and resignation rates and sickness data, is available in the June HM Prison and Probation Service workforce statistics publication, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hm-prison-probation-service-workforce-quarterly-june-2026.