Inquest into the Death of Tania Marie HODGKINSON

Contributing factors

• Grief and guilt related to partner's death from drug overdose
• Police interview regarding partner's death on 17 February 2017, raising prospect of manslaughter charges
• Loss of employment and associated boredom in new prison unit
• Disruption from cellmate's unexpected transfer to Melaleuca Prison
• Perceived loss of hope regarding early release due to potential criminal charges
• Inadequate prison visits facility reducing family contact
• Heroin withdrawal upon admission
• History of previous suicide attempt by hanging three years prior
• Ongoing stressors regarding family safety outside prison

Coroner's recommendations

1. A new Visits Centre should be built at Bandyup Women's Prison to facilitate: increased capacity and privacy, separate spaces for children's play area and search/change room facilities, appropriate CCTV and staff levels, and incorporated official visits
2. Implement documentation of mental state changes following significant stressors such as police interviews in Clinical Management Plans
3. Ensure employment opportunities are identified and allocated prior to prisoner unit transfers to maintain engagement and prevent boredom
4. Continue to monitor and improve welfare call discretion policies to ensure prisoners can maintain family contact
5. Monitor implementation of new practice requirements around documenting observations of distressed prisoners in official visits areas