sandee292000
03-11-2004, 02:59 AM
Women's prison slated for failures before suicide
11 March 2004 http://www.stuff.co.nz/inl/images/null.gif
Christchurch Women's Prison has been slated for a series of failures that allowed an inmate to commit suicide in her cell.
A probation officer had become so concerned by the mental condition of Kelly Ann Maddock, 31, the day before she took her life, that he specifically warned the prison authorities she could be at risk, a Christchurch inquest was told today.
However, the warning was not heeded. Although Maddock's history of severe depression, psychotic episodes, drug abuse, and previous suicide attempts was available to prison staff, she was not deemed to be at risk of self-harm.
Maddock's death on January 10, 2002, led to a damning internal report by the Department of Corrections that listed the failure to heed the probation officer's warning as just one of 10 failures by prison authorities.
Her death is now the subject of an inquest by Christchurch Coroner Richard McElrea, who allowed reporting of the suicide, but suppressed the method by which Maddock killed herself.
The inquest was told today that Maddock had been remanded in jail on December 20, 2001, for sentence for a drug-fuelled assault and robbery. Within a few hours of arriving, her at-risk status was reduced to normal.
On January 9 2002 she was visited in jail by probation officer John Wihone, who was preparing a pre-sentence report on her case.
As part of his work, he checked the official file on Maddock and learned of her history of severe depression, which had seen her spend significant periods of time in mental institutions.
After talking to her in jail, including saying that she was likely to be jailed for the assault, he became so concerned that he filed an alert that was filed electronically with the prison authorities, the police and the probation service.
The next afternoon, Mr Wihone was contacted by a prison manager, who raised the topic of the new alert, but did not say anything else about it. It was only the following day that Mr Wihone learned that at the time of the call, Maddock had already been found dead in her cell.
Cross-examined by Stephanie Edwards, for the Department of Corrections, Mr Wihone said his concerns were more for how Maddock would cope if sentenced to jail rather than an immediate risk of harming herself.
The suicide prompted an investigation by the Department of Corrections, which resulted in a damning report highlighting 10 failings that were involved in Maddock's death in custody.
Prison inspector Greg Price told the hearing that Mr Wihone's concern about Maddock's state and her inability to cope had led to him filing the "self-harm alert" on the prison service's computer system.
However, faults in the system meant the prison staff dealing with Maddock were not made aware of the alert, and in any event were not trained on how to access the alert.
Failings associated with Maddock's death included:
<LI>Maddock's significant historical mental health information was not made available to the person who assessed her risk status;
<LI>Her statements to prison staff that led to her not being deemed a suicide risk were not checked against her prison health records or custody file information;
<LI>A report to the unit manager assessing Maddock's health needs was not completed during her three weeks at Christchurch Women's Prison;
<LI>Maddock's risk assessment was not altered despite her refusing to eat three consecutive meals;
<LI>There was no process to allow Maddock's health information to be conveyed to prison staff that dealt with her on a daily basis; and
<LI>Maddock's propensity to remain locked in her cell was not identified as a factor that affected her risk assessment.
The hearing continues tomorrow
11 March 2004 http://www.stuff.co.nz/inl/images/null.gif
Christchurch Women's Prison has been slated for a series of failures that allowed an inmate to commit suicide in her cell.
A probation officer had become so concerned by the mental condition of Kelly Ann Maddock, 31, the day before she took her life, that he specifically warned the prison authorities she could be at risk, a Christchurch inquest was told today.
However, the warning was not heeded. Although Maddock's history of severe depression, psychotic episodes, drug abuse, and previous suicide attempts was available to prison staff, she was not deemed to be at risk of self-harm.
Maddock's death on January 10, 2002, led to a damning internal report by the Department of Corrections that listed the failure to heed the probation officer's warning as just one of 10 failures by prison authorities.
Her death is now the subject of an inquest by Christchurch Coroner Richard McElrea, who allowed reporting of the suicide, but suppressed the method by which Maddock killed herself.
The inquest was told today that Maddock had been remanded in jail on December 20, 2001, for sentence for a drug-fuelled assault and robbery. Within a few hours of arriving, her at-risk status was reduced to normal.
On January 9 2002 she was visited in jail by probation officer John Wihone, who was preparing a pre-sentence report on her case.
As part of his work, he checked the official file on Maddock and learned of her history of severe depression, which had seen her spend significant periods of time in mental institutions.
After talking to her in jail, including saying that she was likely to be jailed for the assault, he became so concerned that he filed an alert that was filed electronically with the prison authorities, the police and the probation service.
The next afternoon, Mr Wihone was contacted by a prison manager, who raised the topic of the new alert, but did not say anything else about it. It was only the following day that Mr Wihone learned that at the time of the call, Maddock had already been found dead in her cell.
Cross-examined by Stephanie Edwards, for the Department of Corrections, Mr Wihone said his concerns were more for how Maddock would cope if sentenced to jail rather than an immediate risk of harming herself.
The suicide prompted an investigation by the Department of Corrections, which resulted in a damning report highlighting 10 failings that were involved in Maddock's death in custody.
Prison inspector Greg Price told the hearing that Mr Wihone's concern about Maddock's state and her inability to cope had led to him filing the "self-harm alert" on the prison service's computer system.
However, faults in the system meant the prison staff dealing with Maddock were not made aware of the alert, and in any event were not trained on how to access the alert.
Failings associated with Maddock's death included:
<LI>Maddock's significant historical mental health information was not made available to the person who assessed her risk status;
<LI>Her statements to prison staff that led to her not being deemed a suicide risk were not checked against her prison health records or custody file information;
<LI>A report to the unit manager assessing Maddock's health needs was not completed during her three weeks at Christchurch Women's Prison;
<LI>Maddock's risk assessment was not altered despite her refusing to eat three consecutive meals;
<LI>There was no process to allow Maddock's health information to be conveyed to prison staff that dealt with her on a daily basis; and
<LI>Maddock's propensity to remain locked in her cell was not identified as a factor that affected her risk assessment.
The hearing continues tomorrow