SB County Grand Jury recommends better training for jail staff following 4 inmate deaths in 2019
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. - The Santa Barbara County Grand Jury released a list of recommendations after investigating the circumstances surrounding four inmate deaths in 2019.
The inmates were being housed at the Santa Barbara County Main Jail at the time of their deaths. Two were determined to have died by natural causes and two died by suicide.
Following the investigations, the Grand Jury made a list of recommendations for several changes to the medical and housing protocols employed by the Sheriff’s and Wellpath staff, especially when handling inmates with mental health symptoms.
The Grand Jury noted that one inmate died after having a seizure. That inmate was booked into the Main Jail with a life-threatening health condition, which is against Santa Barbara County Sheriff and Wellpath policies. The second inmate was diabetic and bound to a wheelchair with a history of refusing treatments.
In light of these deaths, the Grand Jury's recommendations include ensuring medical staff transfer inmates to the emergency room when necessary, avoid admitting inmates to the Main Jail who have life-threatening medical conditions, and better response training for medical staff during medical emergencies.
Other recommendations have been made pertaining to the treatment of inmates with severe mental illness.
The Jury determined one inmate's threats of suicide were inadequately addressed despite a previous incident where he was seriously assaulted by another inmate. The inmate ultimately hung himself using a T-shirt.
The second suicidal inmate had a history of drug use and suicidal ideations. The Grand Jury determined jail staff did not monitor the inmate well enough when he reported withdrawal symptoms. The inmate was also not held in a cell intended for mental health observation. He ended up using a long telephone cord in his cell to suffocate himself.
Mental health recommendations for jail staff include moving inmates to a safety cell and monitoring them frequently as soon as they threaten to commit suicide as well as ensuring staff inform their supervisor of any threats of suicide.
In hopes of preventing future suicides, the Grand Jury recommends the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors offer psychiatric services to better serve mentally ill inmates in detention. Remedial training of medical
staff is also recommended to help identify and respond to withdrawal symptoms for inmates who struggle with drug abuse.
