Female prisoners six times more likely to self-harm than male inmates, study finds

Study found incidents of self-harm were recorded among 18.4% of all female prisoners in contrast to just 3.1% of male prisoners. Picture: iStock

Female prisoners in Ireland are six times more likely to engage in acts of self-harm than their male counterparts, according to the findings of a major new study.

Research into the incidence of self-harm among the Irish prison population has highlighted how the issue affects almost one in five female inmates compared to about one in 30 male prisoners.