Dartmouth jail works to reduce suicide rate among inmates
DARTMOUTH, Mass. (WLNE) — The Bristol County Jail and House of Correction is currently renovating imamate cells to reduce the risk of suicide.
Sheriff Paul Heroux released a report Friday showing that Dartmouth jail has a suicide rate three times the national average.
Heroux shared that he hired prison expert Lindsay Hayes to review the jail’s policies and procedures back in Jan. 2023 to investigate these findings.
Hayes review found 23 specific issues with the jail’s policies, procedures, and infrastructure. The sheriff said that the jail has implemented new safety plans following these safety concerns.
Specific areas of concern were the use of bunkbeds and windows in aid of suicide.
In further explanation, the old bunkbeds and windows had horizontal bars, including bed ladders, which held a high risk for the act of suicide.
In solution, the jail redesigned the beds and windows by eliminating these bars and adding stainless steel mesh screen to windows.
The jail noted that it has been utilizing its internal workforce to fix these issues. The workers shown in the photos are inmates that are a part of the jail’s vocational welding program.
Heroux said that the program is a part of inmates’ discharge planning to teach them a marketable skill which will aid in employment after being released.
The sheriff shared that although fully eliminating inmate suicide cannot be achieved, the jail can do its part in reducing the rate.
