While Keir Starmer faces accusations of "appeasing" big tech firms over online safety measures, a different kind of safety crisis has been quietly exploding behind prison walls.

Assaults by suspected perpetrators in British prisons more than doubled in 2023, jumping from 35 incidents in 2022 to 73 cases last year. That's a staggering 108.6% increase in just twelve months. (Source: Ministry of Justice, Safety in Custody -- safety-in-custody-assaults-dec-23 -- 3_2_Assaults_by_role)

The timing creates an uncomfortable contrast. As ministers spend political capital negotiating with social media companies about digital harm, physical violence in our prisons has reached levels not seen in recent memory. Every one of these 73 incidents represents a real person attacked by someone already suspected of committing violence.

This isn't just about numbers climbing gradually over time. The scale of increase suggests something fundamental shifted in British prisons between 2022 and 2023. When violence doubles in any institution, it signals a system under severe stress.

The data captures assaults where the perpetrator is classified as a "suspected assailant," meaning these attacks come from individuals already flagged for potential violence. This makes the surge even more concerning. These aren't spontaneous incidents but violence from people the system knew posed risks.

Prison staff, other inmates, and visitors all face this escalating danger. Each assault ripples outward, affecting families, communities, and the broader justice system's ability to function safely.

While politicians debate content moderation algorithms and age verification systems, the immediate physical safety of thousands of people in custody deteriorates. Online safety matters. But so does the safety of prison officers finishing their shifts, inmates trying to serve their sentences without being attacked, and families visiting loved ones behind bars.

The contrast highlights a broader question about where we direct our safety concerns. Digital platforms capture headlines and parliamentary time. Prison violence gets buried in quarterly statistics releases that few people read.

Yet these 73 incidents represent real trauma, real injuries, and real fear spreading through an already strained prison system. The people experiencing this violence don't have the luxury of waiting for the next data release to see if things improve.