Rusk County, Texas Jail Fails State Inspection
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) has recently listed Rusk County Jail in Texas as a Non-Compliant Jail on the TCJS website. A Notice of Non-Compliance was issued on November 21, 2023. It specifies the minimum jail standard the jail was cited for in a jail inspection report issued on November 15, 2023. A TCJS inspector alleges that the Henderson, Texas, jail violated one minimum jail standard.
The address of Rusk County Jail is 210 Charlevoix, Henderson, Texas 75652. The jail has a housing capacity of 291 inmates.
Note: The Notice of Non-Compliance shows that the rule that was violated by Rusk County Jail was 275.5(1). However, the rule spelled out, providing the details on alleged noncompliance, follows.
Rule §273.5(a)(1)-Mental Disabilities/Suicide Prevention Plan-Training
Rusk County Jail has been cited for violating Rule §273.5(a)(1)-Training, which is in the chapter on Health Services and the section on Mental Disabilities/Suicide Prevention Plan. The rule follows: Training. Provisions for staff training (including frequency and duration) on the procedures for recognition, supervision, documentation, and handling of inmates who are mentally disabled and/or potentially suicidal. Supplemental training should be provided to those staff members responsible for intake screening.
- The approved Mental Disabilities/Suicide Prevention Plan for Rusk County states, “Training will be provided to each officer upon employment and presented to all detention officers for one hour, at least once annually.” Jail administration could not produce records showing that all staff received the one hour of training for the calendar year 2022. Training could only be verified for 4 staff members out of 27.
Suicide is the leading cause of death in U.S. county and municipal jails. Jail staff members are in the best position to observe detainees. It is, therefore, imperative that they receive suicide prevention training, which includes how to recognize that a detainee may be at risk for suicide.
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