|
|
| Inmate suicides lead to changes at Brevard jail |
| By Orlando Sentinel |
| Published: 06/13/2005 |
|
As the jail staff enjoyed a lunchtime barbecue, William Gamez, 31, slipped a knotted bedsheet around his throat and hanged himself in his cell. His was the fifth inmate suicide during a four-month span about a year ago at the crowded, understaffed Brevard County (Fla.) jail. Last Monday, Brevard Sheriff Jack Parker announced several changes aimed at preventing future inmates from taking their own lives. Since May 1, mental-health services have been available to inmates with emergency needs on a 24-hour on-call basis, Parker said. Corrections officers also have received additional training in suicide prevention, and nine others have received or are scheduled to receive advanced training in identifying suicide risks. The advanced training will be open to more officers in the coming months, the sheriff said. The jail's booking sergeant now is responsible for reviewing arrest documents for certain types of charges to help identify inmates that are potential suicide risks. Those who are deemed at risk are then placed on observation and further evaluated by the mental-health unit, he said. Also, a Special Inmates Needs Committee has been formed among the mental health, medical and corrections staffs at the jail to integrate medical and mental-health care. Cmdr. Susan Jeter, who was appointed about seven weeks ago to oversee the jail after the resignation of Greg Futch, said the facility was never designed to house the mentally ill. She said she is anxiously awaiting the construction of the 296-bed Medical and Mental Health dormitory that will be next to the jail. The county is doing land surveys and obtaining permits before breaking ground later this year, she said. The spate of suicides that stretched from December 2003 until March 2004 resulted in a change in command at the jail, an internal investigation and the discipline of several supervisors. In Gamez's case, investigators said jail officials had been distracted from their duties by the outdoor barbecue. |
MARKETPLACE search vendors | advanced search
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
|
Comments:
No comments have been posted for this article.
Login to let us know what you think