A panel of outside experts who reviewed the Texas jail where Sandra Bland died has found that the facility needs several improvements, including a new building with more space and a staff that’s better trained to identify mental health issues.
The Waller County Jail in Hempstead, where Bland was found hanging with a plastic garbage bag around her neck, is “not adequate,” said panelist former U.S. Rep. Craig Washington, according to the Associated Press.
Bland had been arrested last summer during a routine traffic stop. The 28-year-old was found dead in her jail cell three days later, sparking protests. A medical examiner ruled her death a suicide.
The panel issued other recommendations in a report released Tuesday, including the use of body cameras and anger-management courses for jailers, and the hiring of medical personnel to screen incoming inmates for mental health issues, the AP reports.
[AP]
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Trump’s Message Worked on Latino Men
- What Trump’s Win Could Mean for Housing
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Sleep Doctors Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives
- Column: Let’s Bring Back Romance
- What It’s Like to Have Long COVID As a Kid
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Contact us at letters@time.com