William James Shandore was 34 years old when he died in the San Antonio, Texas, Bexar County Jail on February 19, 2021. He had been booked into the jail nine days earlier. Another inmate was the first to notice that Shandore was hanging in his cell.

There is a significant correlation between suicide rates and the length of time an inmate has been incarcerated. Related statistics and others are below.

Texas County Jail Suicide Statistics

• Among Texas jail suicides, 24% occur within the first 24 hours of arriving to be booked into jail.
• Another 27% of Texas jail suicides happen from the 2^nd through the 14^th day of incarceration.
• Suicide victims in Texas jails are intoxicated at the time of suicide 20% of the time.
• Among suicide victims in Texas jails, 31% of them are discovered after more than an hour has passed since the latest face-to-face observation.
• Hanging is the method used for suicide among 93% of Texas jail suicide victims.

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) made an impact on the number of suicides in Texas jails when the suicide screening form was implemented in 2016. In the years 2012 through 2015, the numbers of inmate suicides in the Texas jails in each year totaled 23, 25, 23, and 33, respectively. The total number of suicides in 2016, with suicide screening in place, was 17.

See Part 1 and this ongoing series.

This website adds posts for the purpose of providing helpful information for Texas inmates now or previously part of the county jail population. It is not intended on this site to make an implication of wrongdoing on the part of individuals or entities.

–Guest Contributor