Coleman County, Texas Jail Fails 3 Minimum Jail Standards
The non-compliant jails currently named on the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) website include Coleman County Jail. On December 4, 2024, a jail inspection report was issued to the Coleman, Texas, jail, followed by a notice of non-compliance. TCJS inspectors have cited Coleman County Jail for the violation of three minimum jail standards. All three rules allegedly violated are under the chapter covering the classification and separation of inmates.
Classification is an important and complicated issue. The goal is to place each detainee in the most appropriate risk environment that can best ensure the safety of inmates and jail staff. When mistakes are made, the potential exists for devastating consequences. Therefore, it is concerning to find the following information from a TCJS inspector about one of the alleged violations at Coleman County Jail:
- During the classification of one inmate, the decision tree risk factors were not utilized properly. The result was a reduction in custody status.
Coleman County Jail is in Coleman, TX, 76834, at 800 10th Street.
Are Jails Accountable for Inmate Suicides?
Jails are responsible for the care of inmates, and that includes vigilance in suicide prevention. Suicide is the leading cause of death in U.S. jails. Therefore, these local detention centers should be held accountable when it is determined that a preventable suicide has occurred. The following are brief accounts of two tragic suicides in Texas jails.
- At Coleman County Jail, a 28-year-old inmate was in the Coleman, Texas, jail for only 36 hours before being pronounced deceased on October 2, 2017. During booking, he made suicidal statements and exhibited mental health problems. There was only one jailer in the facility when, tragically, the young man used a phone cord to hang himself. The jail’s bed capacity is 57.
- The inmate capacity at Smith County Jail is 1,149. A 28-year-old was booked into the jail on February 1, 2023, and he made suicidal statements and exhibited mental health issues at that time. Around mid-day on February 9, 2023, the young man was found to have formed a noose using the electrical cord from the inmate phone box. He obstructed the locking mechanism on the cell door and then hung himself from the noose. It took numerous tries before the cell door could finally be opened. Despite lifesaving efforts, the inmate was never revived.
If it is suspected that an inmate died from suicide due to jail neglect, the family should waste no time seeking legal assistance.
Are You Seeking Help for Jail Negligence Cases?
Research indicates that nearly 70% of inmates in local U.S. jails who suffer from chronic health conditions do not receive adequate medical care—a concerning statistic. If you’ve experienced severe, life-altering injuries due to medical neglect or abuse while in jail, or if you’ve lost a loved one to neglect during their incarceration, we urge you to act quickly.
At the Law Offices of Dean Malone, we concentrate on custodial jail negelct death cases and have extensive experience handling matters involving jail abuse, medical neglect, and custodial suicide.
Contact us today for a free consultation. We’re available 24/7—connect with us by phone, text, or through our online form.
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