In Tarrant County, Texas, at 1:25 a.m. on October 17, 2021, Brandon Ford was booked into the North Richland Hills Police Department jail. He was moved from a holding cell to a multi-prisoner cell at 3:38 p.m., though he was alone in the cell. The following morning, on October 18, 2021, he was observed to be deceased at 4:45 a.m., though he was pronounced dead at 5:50 a.m.

According to a jail training website, the foundation for jail security and safety is effective inmate supervision. The American Correctional Association’s (ACA) Standards for Small Jails stresses that it is important for the observations of inmates to be on an irregular schedule, though within the maximum time frame for observation in each segment of the jail.

In Texas county jails, the general inmate population is observed every 60 minutes at staggered times. At-risk inmates are observed every half hour or every 15 minutes, depending on the level of risk. 

Supervision is not only about the fact that inmates are at risk for suicide, as proven by custodial suicide statistics. For instance, dining areas can become places of highest risk for riots, assaults, and other types of disturbances.

Another component of inmate supervision is staff training. The value of supervising inmates is largely due to members of the jail staff knowing what to look for. This is particularly important with regard to observing evidence that an inmate is potentially suicidal, though the individual has not yet been categorized as being at risk. 

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

This website does not purpose to suggest that any person or institution has engaged in wrongdoing. The goal in adding posts to this site is to benefit inmates currently or previously detained in Texas county jails.

–Guest Contributor