On October 19, 2020, at approximately 9:35 p.m., Edgar Garza was booked into the Starr County Detention Center in Rio Grande City, Texas. During a face-to-face cell check, a jail guard discovered that Mr. Garza hanged himself. He was pronounced dead at 11:59 p.m., which is a mere 2 hours and 24 minutes after entering jail custody.

The leading cause of death in the nation’s jails is suicide. Compared to the general public, the jail suicide rate is four times higher. Correctional officers are generally aware that it is a moral obligation to protect inmates from self-harm. Suicide prevention is a crucial issue in jails, and intake screening is an essential part of protecting inmates.

Intake Screening

Part of the intake process in county jails in Texas is to fill out suicide and medical/mental/developmental impairments forms. This screening form was recently revised for three primary reasons, which follow:

1. To create an objective suicide risk assessment process that provides clear guidance for frontline personnel.  This includes an understanding of when to notify mental health providers, superiors, and magistrates.
2. Help sheriffs to meet all statutory requirements related to the topic, as found in Code of Criminal Procedure §16.22.
3. To make the form user-friendly considering the usual range of experience of Texas county jailers.

It is important for jailers involved in intake screening to realize that inmates will not receive mental health treatment unless they are identified as potentially needing the help.

Learn more in this ongoing series.

Suggesting that wrongdoing has occurred on the part of any individual or institution is not intended on this website. Each post is meant as a helpful resource for inmates in Texas county jails. 

–Guest Contributor