The Coles County Sheriff’s Office has released a statement following four separate suicide attempts that occurred at the Coles County Jail over the weekend. No lives were lost in these attempts thankfully, but now the question is… why?
In a statement released Wednesday, Sheriff Kent Martin called the incidents “highly unusual and concerning,” but credited the swift response of jail staff for saving these lives. All four individuals were transported to the hospital, where along with obvious medical attention, additional mental health evaluations and treatment are taking place. All are currently expected to recover fully from their injuries.
“The safety and well-being of every individual in our custody is our highest priority,” Sheriff Martin said. He went on to add that he was proud of his staff’s vigilance and professionalism in responding to the string of suicide attempts.
The Coles County Jail currently holds a contract for in-house mental health services, which are available to inmates upon request. Staff are also trained to identify those who may need additional help and refer them accordingly. The Coles County Sheriff’s Office says those services have actually been expanded recently to improve the level of care available to detainees.
The Sheriff’s Office says they will conduct a thorough review of the separate incidents to ensure all policies and procedures were properly followed and to determine whether any additional policies are needed going forward.
