Tyler Jay Huffman died at age 38 in a single cell of Tarrant County Jail in Austin, Texas, on November 10, 2021. He had been incarcerated for 5 days. The custodial death report currently shows that the cause of death is pending the results of an autopsy.

Success in preventing suicide in county jails hinges not only on guidelines provided through minimum jail standards but also on the actions of jail staff members. It has been identified that competently following procedures for intake screening is pivotal in correctly housing at-risk prisoners who need to be supervised more stringently than others. 

In a jail inspection report dated October 15, 2021, details are provided about a Texas county jail found in non-compliance during an annual jail inspection. The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) sets the standards for county jails. An inspector with TCJS provides details of the following area of non-compliance.

RULE §273.5(a)(2) – Mental Disabilities/Suicide Prevention Plan

The segment of the above-named rule titled “Identification” describes procedures for screening inmates so that any who are mentally disabled or potentially suicidal might be identified and referrals can be made to available mental health officials.

An inspector with TCJS made a note regarding non-compliance with this rule. He found that members of the jail staff are not entirely filling out the screening form for the identification of impairments in medical or mental development. The jail had been given technical assistance on this area of compliance during the inspection conducted in FY2020.

Learn more in Part 1 and Part 2 of this ongoing series. 

Suggesting that wrongs have occurred on the part of individuals or institutions is never intended on this website. Helping inmates in Texas county jails is the purpose of posts on this site. 

–Guest Contributor