Leo Lawrence died in the custody of Wichita County Jail in Wichita Falls, Texas, on September 15, 2021. He had been jailed there since July 7, 2021. Just before he died, Mr. Lawrence was having difficulty breathing. His cause of death is unknown and pending autopsy results.

Risk Factors for Custodial Suicide Continued

Continuing from the previous segment in this series, the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) has released the following information about who is most at risk for suicide in county jails:

• Inmates in a single cell, meaning no one else shares the cell, are at an increased risk of suicide. This is an essential risk factor for jails to consider because it is something they can exercise a lot of control over. At-risk inmates should be double-celled, not placed in a single cell.
• Sex offenders have a heightened risk of suicide. This may be due to embarrassment of being caught and arrested or fear of what they may experience in jail.
• Men are at a greater risk for committing suicide than women.

The training of jail staff members is a vital component of suicide prevention. In addition to indicators related to an inmate’s status, behavioral signs can raise red flags about an individual’s vulnerability. For instance, withdrawing from family and friends and isolating oneself is a strong sign that an inmate is a suicidal risk. If they start telling people goodbye when they aren’t soon to be released, it is a strong indicator of suicidal ideations.

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

There is not an intent on this site to suggest that individuals or organizations are participants in improprieties. The purpose of this website’s posts is to assist inmates in county jails in Texas.

–Guest Contributor