Shelby County Jail is Found Noncompliant After a Detainee’s Death
On February 26, 2024, inspectors with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) visited Shelby County Jail in Center, Texas, as a follow-up to a death. They were subsequently cited for one jail violation. This is now the sixth year in a row that TCJS cited the jail for failing to comply with minimum jail standards. Shelby County Jail’s address is 100 Hurst St, Center, TX 75935. The bed capacity at the Center jail is 66.
How Do Shelby County Jail’s Violations Do Possible Harm to Detainees?
2024 Violation
The special jail inspection that occurred in February 2024 alleges in the subsequent report that Shelby County Jail did not provide inmate supervision to the deceased as required. The jailers made observation rounds within the timeframe mandated but failed to view the inmate face-to-face, which is the requirement, per minimum jail standards.
How Could This Violation Have Caused Harm to the Inmate?
The custodial death report for the inmate likely referred to in this special jail inspection report does not reveal any particulars about the death. However, the fact that the inmate was potentially not checked on for hours could mean that life-saving opportunities were lost. For example, it is conceivable that he may have had a medical emergency and was unable to call out for help.
If the cause of death turns out to be suicide, the lack of proper observations may be considered a contributory cause of his death. Jail staff receive routine training on suicide prevention measures. Their training should include information about supervision being a primary deterrent for custodial suicides.
2023 Violations and Possible Results
Shelby County Jail violated the same rule cited above in 2023, as well. But they also failed to supervise inmates held in holding cells or detoxification cells. The inspector noted that jail staff routinely exceeded 30-minute observations, which are required.
Detainees in holding cells and detox cells are in the “at risk” category, which means heightened supervision is required. The goal of increased supervision is to prevent self-harm, such as suicide. Detainees in detox could experience a medical emergency resulting in death. Unfortunately, many inmates in municipal and county jails die from the effects of detoxification within hours of entering jail.
2022 Violations and Potential Harm to Inmates
A life safety equipment violation was one of the two that Shelby County Jail was cited for in July 2022. The lack of an active smoke detector could obviously result in catastrophe. The other violation involved a lack of training among jailers. A staff member, at the time of the inspection, was actively supervising inmates although he did not have a valid TCOLE Jailers License. This suggests a lack of training that, for multiple reasons, could have dire consequences for detainees. For instance, what are the procedures in the event of a fire or a medical emergency?
2021 Violation and its Possible Harmful Results
As a result of a March 2021 inspection, Shelby County Jail was cited for failing to show that medications were distributed to inmates in accordance with a doctor’s written instructions. This could point to medical neglect in the jail.
2019 Violation and Possible Consequences to Inmates
In January 2019, it was found that Shelby County Jail was non-compliant in the area of supervision and communication. The inspector’s notes then spelled out what the consequences may have been:
It was determined that the inmate worker was not observed “no less than once every 60 minutes,” as required. This allowed the inmate the opportunity to leave his assignment several times for up to 2.5 hours and engage in illegal activity.
Has Your Loved One Died as a Result of Jail Medical Neglect?
Our law offices routinely handle cases involving possible jail neglect and jail medical neglect. Our team dedicated to working on jail neglect death cases is actively defending families who have lost loved ones who died in jail. Being detained in jail is not supposed to be a death sentence. We care about your concerns. Don’t hesitate to contact us today. You can reach us at any time of the day or night via phone call, text, or our online form. In addition to jail death cases, we represent former jail inmates who suffered life-altering injuries due to jail neglect.
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