Thirty-two-year-old Tasha Lavergne was on suicide watch in a holding cell at San Jacinto County Jail in Coldspring, Texas, when she wrapped a phone cord around her neck on three different occasions in short succession. She was then discovered on the floor and lifesaving measures were initiated. Ms. Lavergne died on July 13, 2021, having succumbed to the injuries sustained in her suicide attempt.

The serious issue of custodial suicide was recently addressed in a training course offered by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement for Texas jailers. The name of the course is Suicide Detection and Prevention in Jails (Intermediate). According to this resource, suicide is the leading cause of custodial deaths.

Preventing a custodial suicide begins at the point of arrest and should continue through each person’s stay in a county Texas jail. The following components of comprehensive suicide prevention programs are usually present where a facility has been successful in curtailing incidents of suicide:

• Frequent observation of high-risk inmates
• Staff training on suicide prevention
• Well-trained staff members handling intake screening
• A good line of communication between jail staff members
• Prompt intervention of a suicide attempt
• Safe, appropriate housing is provided

Lessons learned through experience indicate that nearly every jail suicide is preventable when recognized practices and standards are followed.

Learn more in this continuing series.

With the intention of providing helpful resources for county jail prisoners in Texas, posts are provided on this website. There is never an intention to imply that wrongs have occurred on the part of people or institutions.

–Guest Contributor