The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) requires county jails to adopt procedures ensuring that inmates receive the medical care they are entitled to, such as when they have an infection that could lead to sepsis. Annual jail inspections intended to determine whether minimum jail standards are being met rarely expose evidence of denial of inmate medical care. Yet, most of the complaints against Texas county jails are related to healthcare services.

There are some causes of death in jails that are generally considered preventable, and sepsis is among them. Sepsis is a drastic bodily response to infection that has a devastating, life-threatening effect on the human body. Approximately 350,000 adults die of sepsis annually in the U.S.; the research done providing this statistic doesn’t reflect the number of those fatalities that occur in jails.

Sepsis Results from Infection

Sepsis and septic shock can result from any infection in the body. Pneumonia and influenza are illnesses that can become serious and life-threatening, especially if the conditions aren’t treated because sepsis can develop.

In general, urinary tract infections (UTIs) do not cause death, not unless the infection doesn’t get effective antibiotic treatment. Then, sepsis can take over. If sepsis is not treated with antibiotics, it becomes severe and results in deadly septic shock.

The speed at which an infection can lead to septic shock and death is alarming, especially when considered in light of the potential for medical neglect in jails. If inmates suffering from sepsis are denied medical treatment, they typically experience excruciating pain. There are documented cases in which the need for treatment is ignored by jailers and, tragically, the inmates died.

A County Jail Inmate Outside Texas Dies of Septic Shock

In April 2022, an inmate in a county jail outside Texas died of septic shock, according to autopsy results. Learn more in this ongoing series.

The purpose of this website is to aid Texas inmates who are now or have previously been incarcerated in a city or county jail in the state. On this site, there is no intention of implicating persons or institutions in acts of wrongdoing.

–Guest Contributor