On September 21, 2022, the Travis County Jail submitted a custodial death report (CDR) to the Attorney General of Texas. The report indicates that 37-year-old Victor Rene Gonzales died in the jail’s custody on September 4, 2022, after being incarcerated for 17 days. At the time of his booking, it was noted that he did not appear suicidal and he did not exhibit medical or mental health problems.

After Sandra Bland’s Death, Waller County Jail is Found Non-Compliant with Jail Standards

After Sandra Bland’s suicide in Waller County Jail in Hempstead, Texas, the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) conducted a special jail inspection. Based on their results, Waller County was cited for two alleged violations of the standards by which county and municipal jails in Texas are required to operate. Both issues are associated with suicide prevention initiatives. The rules cited are below and further details follow below and in continuing installments of this series:

• Rule §273.5(a)(1)-Mental Disabilities/Suicide Prevention Plan
• Rule §275.1-Regular Observation by Jailers

Non-Compliant with Requirement to Provide Suicide Prevention Training

Under Rule §273.5(a)(1) in the Mental Disabilities/Suicide Prevention Plan, county jails must provide staff with training that equips them to recognize, supervise, and handle potentially suicidal and mentally disabled inmates. They must also know how to properly document information related to these issues. An inspector with TCJS found that staff members had not undergone annual two-hour training about suicide prevention.

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

This site purposes to help inmates in county and city jails, whether now or previously detained in any of the local Texas detention facilities. There is never an intention on this site of making accusatory insinuations about persons or entities.

–Guest Contributor