Is Jail Neglect a Widespread Problem in Texas?-Pt.12
Taylor County Jail is Cited for Lack of Evidence that Medications Have Been Distributed Correctly
Taylor County Jail in Abilene, Texas, has a housing capacity of 874 detainees. In June of 2023, the jail was cited by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) for violating Rule §273.3- Health Instructions. The rule states that all medical instructions of designated physicians shall be followed. The TCJS inspector’s note is below:
- TCJS inspectors could not verify that medication was consistently administered to inmates as ordered by the physician.
A Young Man in Harris County Jail Dies From Diabetic Ketoacidosis
If needed medications are not provided, though they have been prescribed by a physician, the omission could constitute medical neglect. Tragically, when jails fail to distribute certain medications, their failure to do so has cost detainees their lives.
Such was the case in 2022, when a 28-year-old man was incarcerated in Harris County Jail in Houston, Texas. The young man’s life depended on both insulin and blood pressure medication. He died after five days in the jail, and the cause of death was diabetic ketoacidosis. This condition is the result of not getting the insulin the body needs. In other words, medical neglect allegedly had a part in the man’s death.
Learn more in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, and Part 11 of this continuing series.
Providing municipal and county jail detainees in Texas with helpful resources is one of this website’s purposes. Suggesting that a person or entity has engaged in wrongdoing is never intended.
–Guest Contributor
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smchugh