Anderson Howard was 25 years old when he was arrested in Dallas County and later died on the same day, October 9, 2021. He had been pursued and arrested by the Rowlett Police Department in Rowlett, Texas, and was subsequently placed in the local jail.

A significant portion of Texas county jail inmates has drug problems. Unfortunately, it is not unusual for prisoners to die of overdoses not long after being arrested. Combatting opioid overdoses is a topic that is gaining ground in jails across the nation. Harris County, Texas, for instance, was in the news in 2019 because a grant of $2 million was awarded for the purpose of expanding access to treatment and medication for inmates struggling with substance abuse. A study of custodial deaths in Harris County showed that nearly half of the overdose deaths in the county involved opioids.

Narcan is given to opioid-addicted inmates as they are released from jail in jurisdictions across the nation, including some county jails in Texas. According to a Texas sheriff, addressing the opioid problem with inmates helps to prevent crimes committed for the purpose of supporting drug habits.

A physician making a statement on the topic pointed out that not enough healthcare providers in the nation are trained in treating people with opioid abuse. A sad reality today is that jails are the most prominent places where drug-addicted individuals end up.

See Part 1 and Part 2 of this three-part series.

This website purposes to assist Texas county jail prisoners, whether current or former. There is no intent to imply that individuals or institutions have engaged in improprieties.

–Guest Contributor