The 2010-2011 Ventura County Grand Jury (Grand Jury), pursuant to its responsibility for government oversight, elected to review the organizational response to two suicides and a death in the Ventura County (County) Jail during 2010. The purpose of this review was to understand the process of reception, screening, classification, housing, and monitoring of inmates in the County Jail by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department (VCSD). It was determined that—though VCSD had implemented many elements of a suicide prevention policy that can be considered best practice—the mortality and suicide averages increased in the years 2008 through 2010, as compared to the averages of the prior eight years. The Grand Jury recommends: that the Sheriff present the District Attorney with investigative results of all in-custody deaths; that the Sheriff include the Ventura County Behavioral Health Department (VCBHD) in the assessment of jail suicides; that the Sheriff increase organizational focus on suicide prevention; and that the Sheriff increase the availability of training in suicide issues for staff and community volunteers at the jail.

Go to the Grand Jury website to review the entire report: http://grandjury.countyofventura.org