Several organizations have joined in the complaint against the county jail whose alleged actions are spotlighted in this story. A lack of administrative changes at the jail allegedly demonstrate an abysmal disregard for the conditions there. For instance, the top administrators for the mental health and health care units are devoid of any health care experience.

Federal claims are among those brought against the jail, and those claims assert the following complaints:

• A failure to provide mentally disabled inmates with adequate mental health care;
• An unconstitutional use of solitary confinement;
• Violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act;
• Excessive use of force;
• Failure to professionally train jail staff; and
• Violations of due process rights.

An 18-month investigation preceded the release of complaints by one organization against the county jail. During that investigation, 400 interviews were conducted of 100-plus people formerly or currently housed in that jail.

Among those interviewed were former health care staff members and corrections officers, who all allegedly confirm that the following occurs at the county jail:

• Unconstitutional, impulsive use of excessive force and
• Routine denial of care.

The following statistic provides additional evidence and potentially lends weight to claims against the county jail:

• The suicide rate of 9 suicides since 2016 at the jail is among the highest in the nation.

Statistics also indicate that approximately 64% of the inmates housed in the jail suffer from a mental health condition.

See Part 1 and this ongoing series to learn additional specifics on complaints against the jail.

None of the posts on the site are intended to assert or imply that any person, institution, or organization behaved inappropriately or engaged in misconduct of any kind. The purpose of the post is to supply information.

–Guest Contributor