Detainee in Liberty County Texas Dies After Suicide Attempt-Pt.4
A Correctional Officer Tells an Inmate to Kill Herself 8 Hours Before She Was Found Hanging in Her Cell
A graphic demonstration of the importance of suicide prevention training occurred recently in a county correctional facility outside Texas. The family of the deceased claims that their loved one told them that a corrections officer encouraged her to kill herself. Tragically, she was discovered hanging in her cell just 8 hours later.
An investigation revealed that the deceased had a confrontation with the corrections officer who allegedly told her to kill herself.
Another alarming discovery that was made during the investigation pertains to training. Apparently, at the time this custodial suicide occurred, jailers in that facility had not received anti-suicide training for many years. The jail facility made a statement about it, saying that they made the decision not to require jailers to undergo training. Avoiding causing conflict with officers who were not receptive to training sessions was why that decision was made.
Texas Commission on Jail Standards Addresses Suicide Prevention
Among the minimum jail standards that Texas county and municipal jails are required to adhere to are those that pertain to suicide prevention. Because direct supervision is the biggest deterrent to suicide, the rules about jailers checking on inmates within various time frames are essential. But training is where suicide prevention really begins. More about operational guidelines for jails as set by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) in the next segment of this series. Also, see Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.
Providing helpful resources to detainees in Texas jails is one of the purposes of this website. Accusing persons or institutions of wrongdoing it never intended on this site.
–Guest Contributor
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smchugh