San Augustine County, Texas Jail Fails State Inspection
San Augustine County Jail is among the non-compliant jails currently listed on the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) website. In a December 12, 2023, notice of noncompliance, San Augustine County Jail was advised of the results of a jail inspection conducted on December 7, 2023. The San Augustine, Texas, jail has been cited for the alleged violation of one minimum jail standard. The address of San Augustine County Jail is 219 North Harrison Street San Augustine, TX 75972. The jail can house up to 34 detainees.
Rule §273.5 (a)(2) – Identification
San Augustine County Jail has been cited for allegedly failing to comply with Rule §273.5 (a)(2) – Identification, which is in the chapter on Health Services and the section on Mental Disabilities/Suicide Prevention Plan. (2) Identification. Procedures for intake screening to identify inmates who are known to be or observed to be mentally disabled and/or potentially suicidal and procedures for compliance with Code of Criminal Procedure Article 16.22 and referrals to available mental health officials.
- A review of 13 inmate medical files revealed that staff failed to notify the magistrate within 12 hours on 3 occasions when warranted by affirmative answers on the Screening Form for Suicide and Medical / Mental / Developmental Impairments and positive returns on CCQ checks.
The rules applying to suicide prevention should always be given strict attention because, according to numerous statistics, suicide is the number one cause of custodial deaths in local jails. Research reveals that detainees are at risk for suicide due to many of the parameters that uniquely exist in the jail setting.
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