Numerous Custodial Suicides Occurred in Texas Jails in 2022, and Many are Considered to Have been Preventable Deaths

Suicide is a leading cause of death in U.S. jails. Yet, generally, custodial suicides are considered to be preventable inmate deaths. Suicide prevention is among the considerations that help determine minimum jail standards by which Texas jails must operate. Information about some of the 2022 Texas inmate suicides follows below and in the coming installments of this series. Also see Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5.

3 Texas Inmates Commit Suicide on 3 Consecutive Days in February 2022.

At least three Texas inmates committed suicide in county jails from February 9 to 11, 2022–one per day. These types of tragedies highlight the failure of jails to successfully implement suicide prevention plans.

 Jared Jon Bell was an inmate in Travis County Jail at 500 West 10^th Street, Austin, TX 78701. At the time of intake on February 7, 2022, he made suicidal statements and exhibited mental health problems. Two days later, in order for him to make a phone call, a deputy escorted him to a different unit from where he was housed because there was not a working phone there.

The corrections officer placed Mr. Bell alone in a dayroom with a phone. Tragically, the phone cord was long enough that Mr. Bell was able to use it to commit suicide. He wrapped the cord around his neck and strangled himself with it as he was sitting on a chair. Mr. Bell was alone in the room for 66 minutes before the officer returned and discovered that he was unresponsive. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was initiated and continued until a physician declared him deceased at 11:07 AM on February 9, 2022.

Suicide Prevention Methods

There are different strategies for suicide prevention that can avert inmate deaths. For example, high-risk inmates are sometimes provided with special clothing and bedding that are ineffective in helping someone take their own life. Also, they are placed in rooms with nothing that can effectively be used to aid in committing suicide. Frequent checks of suicidal inmates are standard procedure. Depending on the perceived level of risk, an inmate may be observed in face-to-face checks in intervals not to exceed every 10 minutes, 15 minutes, or 30 minutes.

This website purposes to provide helpful resources to Texas prisoners housed in municipal or county jails. Implicating persons or entities with misdeeds is never intended.

–Guest Contributor