David Brian Hamilton was incarcerated on January 26th, 2021, at Parker County Jail in Weatherford, Texas. Mr. Hamilton died at the age of 46 on February 8, 2021, as a result of hanging himself in his cell.

Intake Screening for Suicide Prevention

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) requires jails to provide suicide-prevention training to jail staff members. The intake screening process is an essential element in efforts to identify potentially suicidal inmates. The following are from checklists to follow during intake screening for the purpose of identifying inmates who are at risk for committing suicide:

• The prisoner expresses unusually high levels of guilt, shame, and anxiousness over being arrested and incarcerated.
• He or she is under the influence of alcohol or drugs and/or has a history of substance abuse.
• The inmate has previously made one or more suicide attempts.
• He or she admits that suicide is currently considered an acceptable option.
• Facility records show that the prisoner was a suicide risk during a prior confinement.
• The inmate admits to having recent thoughts about suicide.
• The prisoner shows signs of depression–such as lack of emotions, lack of verbal expression, or crying–and expresses that he or she feels hopeless or fearful about the future.
• The arresting officer or transporting officer believes that the inmate is a suicide risk.
• The history of the inmate includes having been previously treated for a mental health issue. 

See Part 1 and Part 2 of this ongoing series.

This website provides posts to help prisoners now and previously incarcerated in a county jail in Texas. There is no intention on this site to imply that individuals or organizations have participated in misdeeds.

–Guest Contributor