Tragically, at just 21 years of age, Fernando Serna Candelas died in El Paso, Texas, an inmate of El Paso County Jail. On the day of his June 30, 2021, death, emergency help for him was requested at 4:10 am. After being transported to a nearby hospital, he was pronounced dead at 5:09 am.

Per the guidelines for county jail operations in the Texas Administrative Code, which were set by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS), alcohol and/or drug abuse is among the risk factors considered when classifying an inmate for appropriate housing. The general guideline is to place each inmate in the least restrictive housing without placing staff members, the public, or other inmates in jeopardy.

Drug abuse is an issue that has become integral in jails due to widespread addiction. The county jail in Nueces County, Texas, has recently been at full capacity. Other counties are being paid to house Nueces County inmates oftentimes. According to authorities in that county, many of the jail’s inmates have drug and alcohol problems as well as mental health issues.

Nueces County has announced that they are exploring the possibility of opening a jail diversion facility for mentally impaired and drug-addicted inmates, which will help alleviate jail overcrowding.

Learn more in Part 1 and this continuing series.

This website never purposes to infer wrongdoing on persons or institutions. Each post is provided for the purpose of helping inmates now or previously incarcerated in county jail facilities in Texas.

–Guest Contributor