Twenty-one-year-old Aiydasani Mahogany Bryant entered Cherokee County Jail on February 15, 2023. Ms. Bryant hadn’t received any medical attention for the condition she died of, it appears from the custodial death report, when she collapsed from what appeared to be a medical issue on February 21, 2023. She was transported to a medical facility, where she died about 2 hours later.

Cherokee County Jail was Found Noncompliant in October 2020

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards is the entity responsible for setting the jail standards for county and municipal jails in Texas. Chapter 271 is about the classification and separation of inmates. According to the National Institute of Corrections (NIC), objective jail classification is a process of assessing each inmate’s program and custody needs. It is considered a crucial management tool for jail administrators. When inmate classification is done correctly, it will reduce suicide, suicide attempts, inmate assaults, escape attempts, and escapes.

An instrument used during intake and another completed after a period of confinement identifies the level of risk and needs presented by an inmate in order to make appropriate housing and program assignments. The data obtained through the classification process can also be used for operational, management, and planning purposes.

Rule §271.1-Objective Classification Plan

The objective classification plan for county jails must include principles, instruments, procedures, and explanations for inmate needs, classification assessments, reassessments, and housing assignments.

Learn about the principles and procedures to be discussed in the objective classification plan and more in this ongoing series.

Helping Texas jail detainees and their families with resources is one of the purposes of this website. There is no intention of suggesting that people or organizations have been involved in misdeeds.

–Guest Contributor