Inmate Medical Neglect is a Widespread Problem Continued

There are many deaths of inmates in county jails in Texas that have been scrutinized and found to be cases of medical neglect.

A senior analyst for a Texas association representing county expenditures said that one prisoner alone had terminal cancer and the costs were more than the small county could cover and continue with county business. The treatment costs for the inmate came to over $140,000.

The sheriff for that county said people who get arrested sometimes have serious health conditions, and it is the responsibility of the jail to provide appropriate medical care.

The skyrocketing costs for inmate medical care have been a constant challenge for counties. Average jail health care costs tripled in large counties from about $5 million to $15 million from 2005 to 2009. In trying to reduce healthcare expenses, are inmates being denied necessary medical treatments?

Allegedly, in 2005 a woman in a large Texas county was mentally ill and died from untreated pneumonia. In her 18 months of incarceration there, she didn’t so much as receive a routine medical exam. On the night she died, there was one nurse on duty for thousands of prisoners. The jail was inspected after the death and was found to be non-compliant with minimum jail standards.

Learn more in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5 of this continuing series.

Helping Texas jail detainees and their families with resources is one of the purposes of this website. There is no intention of suggesting that people or organizations have been involved in misdeeds.

–Guest Contributor