The health care at the county jail outside Texas is provided by a third-party company that replaced the one handling medical care during the time of the three shocking custodial deaths described in Part 2 of this series.

Across the country, watchdog groups have been exposing these types of third-party health care companies that provide services to jails. Such health care organizations are often suspected of putting profit above the care of the inmates. A problem that is obvious is that these companies make more money when fewer services are provided to inmates who need medical care.

Based on all of the information that is known about custodial deaths at the jail, it is suggested that the jail operates under a culture of indifference. Other problems identified that are said to contribute to issues at the jail that is under greater scrutiny are inmates with mental health problems, problems with providing adequate medical care, and violence.

Among these problems cited at the jail outside Texas, the area that receives the most complaints in Texas involves medical care. The following are among the minimum jail standards for city and county Texas jails:

• Provisions must be made for inmates to have regularly scheduled sick calls.
• Prompt and efficient care must be provided to inmates in emergency situations.
• Disabled inmates must receive long-term convalescent care.
• Pregnant inmates must be given access to gynecological and obstetrical treatment.

See Part 1 and Part 2 of this three-part series.

This website’s posts are meant as informational resources that could help current and former Texas inmates and their families. It is never intended to imply that improprieties of any kind have occurred on the part of individuals or institutions.

–Guest Contributor