Rickey Paul Smith was admitted into Moore County Jail in Dumas, Texas, on July 25, 2021. The next day, at approximately 5:20 p.m., a jailer discovered Mr. Smith hanging by his neck in his cell. Life-saving measures were initiated and continued for nearly a half-hour, but he was pronounced dead on July 26, 2021.

Suicide is known to be a significant problem in Texas lock-up facilities, with the percentage of custodial suicides consistently higher than suicides outside the jail system. The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) is responsible for minimum jail standards in county jails in Texas, and suicide is addressed in multiple ways under the Texas Administrative Code’s RULE §273.5-Mental Disabilities/Suicide Prevention Plan.

Training

Each jail is responsible to make provisions for staff training so that jailers are equipped to recognize, supervise, document, and handle inmates with mental disabilities and/or possible suicidal tendencies.

Handling intake screening is a position that requires additional training in order to know procedures for the following:

• Identifying inmates known or observed to be mentally disabled and/or possibly suicidal. The training should include making referrals available to mental health officials.
• Communicating information that relates to potentially suicidal and/or mentally disabled inmates.
• Procedures for the assignment of housing for mentally disabled and/or possibly suicidal inmates.
• Making adequate provisions to ensure appropriate supervision of these at-risk inmates, including procedures for documenting supervision.
• Immediately completing a screening instrument for inmates needing suicide prevention measures or assistance as a mentally disabled individual.

Learn more in this ongoing series.

This site offers posts for the purpose of helping Texas inmates currently or previously housed in county jails. There is never an intention to imply that individuals or organizations have engaged in improprieties.

–Guest Contributor