The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Department reported the death of Adrian Chevez to the Texas Office of the Attorney General on July 19, 2023. The 39-year-old was booked into Tarrant County Corrections Center Jail on June 1, 2023. He was found hanging in his cell (59-D-13-02) on June 24, 2023. Mr. Chevez was pronounced deceased that day after being transported to John Peter Smith Hospital. The address of the jail facility where he was housed is 100 N Lamar, Fort Worth, Texas, 76102.

How Important Is it to Train Jailers in Suicide Prevention?

Properly trained correctional staff are essential to suicide prevention in local and municipal jails. Custodial suicides are usually attempted in inmate housing units on weekends or during late evening hours and are generally outside the purview of mental health professionals or other professional staff. These incidents, therefore, must be thwarted by jail staff members who have been trained in suicide prevention and have become more attentive to the inmates under their care.

The only staff available 24 hours per day are the correctional officers. Thus, they form the front line of defense in suicide prevention. Without suicide prevention training, it is not expected that healthcare staff or correctional staff could prevent an inmate from taking his or her life. Because jail is an environment that heightens suicidal ideations in inmates, the prisoners are more at risk if the staff isn’t trained in suicide prevention.

During jail inspections in Texas, jails are often cited for failing to provide suicide prevention training.

Learn more in Part 1 and this ongoing series.

One of the purposes of this website is to provide helpful information of benefit to municipal and county jail inmates in Texas. Insinuating that misdeeds have occurred on the part of institutions or persons is not intended on this site.

–Guest Contributor