In Smith County Jail at 800 E. Dawson Dr. in Tyler, Texas, 24-year-old Dvonte Marquese Valentine was booked as an inmate on November 16, 2022. The custodial death report (CDR) prepared after Mr. Valentine’s tragic death on December 4, 2022, indicates that he died after sustaining injuries from a fall off the commode in the multiple-occupancy cell where he was housed.

Smith County Jail Special Inspection Report on February 18, 2022, Continued

Rule §273.5(b)- Screening Instrument

Under §273.5(b) in the chapter on Mental Disabilities/Suicide Prevention Plan, mental disabilities and suicide prevention screening must be completed immediately when an inmate is admitted.

In 2021, the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) provided technical assistance to Smith County Jail related to the completion of screening instruments. The goal was to ensure the jail’s compliance with minimum jail standards. Yet, during the February 18, 2022, inspection, it was discovered that on multiple occasions the Screening Form for Suicide and Mental / Medical / Developmental Impairments was not completed in its entirety.

The following are among the instructions for filling out the above-referenced form:

The purpose of intake screening is for jail staff to assess whether an inmate may be:

• A significant risk for committing suicide,
• In distress from psychosis or a mental disorder, or
• Distressed from complications of recent substance abuse.

Intake screening is the first step in completing jail procedures, and it is crucial. During intake screening, determinations are made as to whether inmates require specialized mental health treatment. No treatment will be provided without this aspect of intake screening.

Learn more in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 of this series.

Texas prisoners held in municipal and county jails can find helpful resources on this website. There is never an intention on this site of accusing organizations or persons of wrongdoing.

–Guest Contributor