On March 13, 2023, the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office at 200 Taylor St. Plaza Bldg 7^th Floor in Fort Worth, TX 76196 sent in a custodial death report  (CDR) about George William Zink. Mr. Zink was an inmate there from November 23, 2022, until the day of his death, February 15, 2023. He was moved from his housing in a single jail cell to John Peter Smith Hospital on the final day of his life.

Myths About Suicide

MYTH 1: Individuals who have attempted suicide in the past will not try it again.

• FACT: Research provides evidence that if someone has made a suicide attempt in the past, they are at a heightened risk for actually committing suicide. If they’ve already tried it, they have broken the taboo against taking their own life. Self-destructive behavior is now in their behavioral tool kit to relieve anxiety. Further suicide attempts become easier.

MYTH 2: When a person is suicidal, they want to die.

• FACT: People are trying to escape emotional pain when they try to commit suicide. They don’t necessarily want to die.

MYTH 3: People who really want to kill themselves are going to do it, and you can’t stop someone in custody from doing it if they really want to.

• FACT: Suicide is preventable. Research proves that if suicidal offenders can get relief from their stressors or find help addressing personal problems, their risk of committing suicide is reduced.

See Part 1 and this ongoing series for more information.

Our purpose in posting resources is to help Texas inmates who have been incarcerated in local county and municipal jails in the state. There is never an intention of implicating a person or entity in connection with wrongdoing.

–Guest Contributor