Erath County, Texas Jail Fails State Inspection

The Erath County Jail, in Stephenville, Texas, recently failed an inspection by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS). Thus, the TCJS has listed the Erath County Jail at the TCJS website as being non-compliant. Both Erath County Judge Alfonso Campos and Sheriff Matt Coates were notified of the failure.

The TCJS inspector found that jail staff, on multiple occasions, failed to notify magistrate judge within 12 hours as required by Texas law when warranted by affirmative answers on the Screening Form for Suicide and Medical/Mental/Developmental Impairments. This was a serious violation, as affirmative answers on that form could mean that a person is suicidal. Thus, if a magistrate is not notified, and jail personnel did not take appropriate action for a person who is suicidal, serious injury or death to an inmate could result.

The TCJS inspector also found that, on multiple occasions, Erath County Jail staff failed to check inmates upon intake against the continuity of care system. These are referred to as “CCQ” checks. A CCQ check determines whether a person has received inpatient mental health care previously. This, as well as answers on the mental health screening form, assists jailers and others in protecting inmates who are at risk of self-harm tendencies. This is extremely important information, as our Texas law firm has learned through litigating a number of jail suicide cases across Texas. Hopefully, no serious injury or death resulted from Erath County’s failure to comply with state minimum jail standards.

Written By: Dean Malone

Dean Malone

Dean Malone is the founder of Law Offices of Dean Malone, P.C., a jail neglect civil rights law firm. Mr. Malone earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Texas at Dallas, graduating summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA, and from Baylor University School of Law with a general civil litigation concentration. Mr. Malone served in several staff positions for the Baylor Law Review, including executive editor. Mr. Malone is an experienced trial lawyer, trying a number of cases to jury verdict and also handling arbitrations through final hearing. He heads the jail neglect section of his law firm, in which lawyers litigate cases involving serious injury and death resulting from jail neglect and abuse. Lawyers frequently refer cases to Mr. Malone due to his focus on this very complicated civil rights practice area.