During intake at Travis County Jail on September 2, 2023, Sappi Franck appeared to be intoxicated on drugs or alcohol. Mr. Franck also made suicidal statements and exhibited mental health problems. He was pronounced deceased on September 13, 2023. His cause of death is unknown. The address of Travis County Jail is 1500 Red River Street in Austin, TX 78701. The bed capacity at Travis County Jail is about 2,908 beds.

What is Done to Protect Detainees in County Jails Who Make Suicidal Statements?

Jail staff are required by minimum jail standards to provide all employees with suicide prevention training. The members of the jail staff that handle intake must also get additional training. Intake officers must know how to recognize whether a person might be on drugs or alcohol. They should also ask questions to prompt any statements that may reveal that a detainee has suicidal ideations.

The operational standards for county jails are established by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS). Under health services, guidelines are provided on establishing a suicide prevention plan. Various statistics provide a wealth of pertinent information, such as the fact that suicide is the leading cause of death in county jails across the U.S.

Overseeing county jails is the responsibility of the County Sheriff or another person who might be designated as the jail operator. They have the job of making sure jail staff conducts business in the jail according to these minimum jail standards. The most important duties may pertain to suicide prevention because suicide occurs inside local jails at a much higher rate than among the population outside of jail walls.

Learn more in this continuing series.

This site, as one of its purposes, provides information to help Texas detainees who are or have been incarcerated in a county or municipal jail in the state. Insinuating that an individual or organization has been involved in wrongdoing is never intended.

–Guest Contributor