Falls County Jail is Non-Compliant for the 12th Time in 8 Years

iStock 157569394 1 — Inside The Old Idaho State Penitentiary

After an October 15, 2024, jail inspection, Falls County Jail was found non-compliant for the second time in less than a month. It is also at least the 12th time in 8 years that the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) found Falls County Jail in violation of minimum jail standards. This latest notice of non-compliance is the third for Falls County Jail that is currently posted on the TCJS website and shows the same two rules that were violated after a late September inspection. Information conveyed in the inspectors’ notes follows:

Falls County Jail did not meet the required 1 to 48 ratio on October 11, 2024, from 10:30 AM to 11:45 AM. Documentation indicates that there was only one jailer on shift and 56 inmates.
On October 11, 2024, personnel with no TCOLE jailer’s license were assigned to dispatch/control room and jail supervision at Falls County Jail.

Falls County Jail is located at 2847 State Highway 6 in Marlin, Texas 76661. The inmate capacity is 107.

Jail Personnel Need Suicide Prevention Training

Suicide is the leading cause of death in U.S. jails. Suicide prevention is included in the training courses jailers must take for the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) jailer’s licensing. Many suicides are prevented by qualified jailers with the appropriate training they receive in order to obtain the required licensing.

Included in suicide prevention training are topics such as those below:

Mental impairments
How to recognize suicidal behavior
Suicide risk
De-escalation

Understanding Suicide Risk in Jails

Custodial suicide statistics provide insights that can help with suicide prevention. It isn’t enough to know facts about suicide risk. When strong indicators exist that an individual may be at risk for suicide, practical steps should be taken. Examples follow:

From 2000-2004, 22% of suicides in local jails occurred within the first 24 hours of incarceration. This was an increase from 12% during 2015-2019. Jails could keep stricter watch on inmates in their first 24 hours, such as keeping them under constant observation and/or supervision.
Approximately 90% of suicide deaths in county and municipal jails occur by suffocation, including hanging and self-strangulation. To address this, potentially suicidal individuals should not have access to anything that can be used to fashion a ligature. Bed linens, trash bags, telephone cords, and clothing are among the things inmates have used to commit suicide.

Get Legal Help for Jail Medical Neglect with the Law Offices of Dean Malone

If you suspect that a family member died while in Texas jail because of jail abuse, neglect, or jail medical neglect, it’s crucial to seek experienced legal support. At the Law Offices of Dean Malone, we are committed to helping detainees and their families, especially in jail-related death cases. Our knowledgeable team is experienced in navigating the complexities of these types of cases. If you are a former detainee who has endured neglect, abuse, or denial of medical care while incarcerated and must now deal with serious injuries, we encourage you to contact us.

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