Increased supervision or, at the very least, strict adherence to requirements for inmate checks is an effective strategy for suicide prevention in county jails. Diligence on the part of jailers saves lives, and indifference among jailers often seems to be a contributing cause of inmate deaths.

In October 2020, two corrections deputies acted quickly to prevent an inmate suicide. They were inside the housing unit at a jail and observed an inmate climbing over a railing on the second floor. Before the inmate managed to hang himself using a bedsheet, they pulled him back through an opening in the railing. The inmate was placed under the added protection provided by suicide protocols. On December 1, the deputies were presented with life-saving awards.

Saving lives has long been a topic of discussion with regard to jails in Texas. The second leading cause of death among inmates in Texas jails has been suicide. Policy recommendations for suicide prevention were made in 2013, and the Texas Commission in Jail Standards has adopted them in some form or another. The following is one among a number of policy recommendations designed to prevent custodial suicides:

• Either specially trained correctional staff members or qualified mental health professionals should conduct intake screenings in Texas jails to identify inmates at risk due to suicidal tendencies or medical or mental impairments.

See Part 1 and this ongoing series to learn more.

The purpose of all posts on this website is to assist Texas prisoners currently or previously held in city and county jails as well as their families. At no time is it intended to imply that a person or institution has in any way engaged in improprieties.

–Guest Contributor