The custodial death report for Jeremy Alan Renkel prepared by the Harris County Sheriff’s Department in Houston, Texas, shows that he died in county jail custody on May 30, 2021. The coroner has indicated that Mr. Renkel died of natural causes.

Suicide prevention is one of the ways in which jails have a duty to protect inmates. This issue is vital because suicide is the leading cause of custodial deaths across the U.S. Jailers have a crucial role in preventing inmate suicide because those who are at risk are placed where they will have increased supervision. The presence of other people is the greatest deterrent for committing suicide. Other measures are taken to prevent inmate suicides, as well.

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) requires every jail to have a suicide prevention plan. Part of the plan is to train jailers. Jail staff must be able to recognize, supervise, document, and handle suicidal inmates. If there is no training for jailers, inmates who are at risk for suicide are not as likely to receive the protection they are entitled to in a custodial situation.

It is disturbing any time a jail inspection report reveals that issues such as suicide prevention have been neglected. As an example, the following is information about non-compliance in a Texas county jail. The date of the jail inspection report is September 27, 2021.

RULE §273.5 (1) – Mental Disabilities/Suicide Prevention Plan

This rule requires that jail staff will be provided with suicide prevention training. This includes supplemental training for staff members involved in the process of intake screening.

• An inspector with TCJS noted that suicide prevention training for members of the jail staff was not conducted during the past 12 months as required by minimum jail standards.

Learn more in Part 1 and Part 2 of this three-part series.

This website never intends to suggest that any person or entity has been a participant in wrongdoing of any sort. All posts on this site are added as potentially helpful resources for inmates in county jails in Texas.

–Guest Contributor