While political debates rage in Delhi about AI safety, Britain faces a more immediate safety crisis inside its own borders. Prison violence has exploded to levels not seen in years.

In 2023, there were 39 serious assault incidents per 1,000 prisoners — a staggering 64% jump from the previous year's 23.7 per 1,000. (Source: Ministry of Justice, Safety in Custody -- safety-in-custody-assaults-dec-23 -- 3_1_Summary_assault_statistics)

To understand how we got here, you need to go back to the early 2010s. Prison violence was already a problem then, but what followed was a perfect storm of cuts, overcrowding, and policy failures that turned bad into catastrophic.

The coalition government slashed prison budgets. Staff numbers fell. Training was reduced. Experienced officers left faster than new ones could be hired. By the mid-2010s, the warning signs were everywhere — but the numbers kept climbing.

Then came COVID. Lockdowns meant prisoners spent even more hours confined to cells. Mental health deteriorated. Drug smuggling routes shifted, bringing new violence into already volatile wings. When restrictions lifted, the pent-up tension didn't disappear — it exploded.

The 2023 surge represents more than just statistics. It means that in an average prison holding 1,000 inmates, 39 people suffered serious assaults last year — injuries severe enough to require hospital treatment or cause permanent damage. That's more than three serious attacks every month in a typical facility.

This isn't just about prisoner-on-prisoner violence. Staff are getting hurt too. Prison officers now face daily threats that would have been unthinkable a decade ago. Some facilities have become so dangerous that experienced officers refuse transfers there.

The ripple effects extend beyond prison walls. Inmates who experience or witness serious violence are more likely to reoffend after release. Rehabilitation programmes can't function properly when staff are focused on basic safety. Families visiting loved ones enter environments that feel more like war zones than places of reform.

What's particularly alarming is the speed of deterioration. The 64% year-on-year increase suggests something fundamental broke in 2023. Whether it was a tipping point in overcrowding, a collapse in discipline, or the delayed effects of pandemic policies, the system crossed a line.

The government talks about being tough on crime. But if prisons are becoming more violent, more chaotic, and less focused on rehabilitation, they're failing at their most basic functions. These aren't just numbers on a spreadsheet — they represent a justice system that's lost control of its own institutions.