Justice Department Lauds Sheriff's Efforts on Jail Medical Issues

September 17, 2007

Last week, the United States Department of Justice and the government of Dallas County, including the Sheriff's Department, began the next phase of the continued effort to address long standing issues regarding health care in the Dallas County Jail system. Since taking office in 2005, Sheriff Lupe Valdez and her team have been aggressively addressing problems in the Dallas County Jail that had been allowed to reach dangerous levels during the tenure of her Republican predecessor. Correcting issues related to inmate health and medical treatment has been a top priority.

On September 7 of this year, a letter from the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice highlighted the rapid progress and leadership shown by the Sheriff's Department in dealing with Jail medical concerns. This letter preceded the pro forma step taken last week by the DOJ, which requested an Agreed Order from a federal judge to continue the DOJ's oversight regarding medical issues in the Dallas County Jail. Prior to the filing of the lawsuit by the DOJ, the Sheriff's Department and Dallas County government had reviewed and agreed to the particulars of the Agreed Order.

In the September 7 letter, the DOJ stated that "we applaud the considerable efforts the County has made" to address the Jail situation. Further, the letter stated:

During the course of our investigation, we have confirmed and acknowledged that the County had already commenced developing and implementing a comprehensive action plan to address most of the conditions which our investigation identified. Indeed, prior to our investigation, the county retained a nationally-recognized healthcare consultant to perform a thorough review of the Jail's healthcare systems. In our experience, the County's level of cooperation and its commitment of energy and resources to addressing our investigative findings is unprecedented. This kind of proactive and positive relationship with the Department of Justice will serve as a model to other jurisdictions.

Under the leadership of Sheriff Lupe Valdez, agencies from across Dallas County have been brought together to address the medical concerns regarding Dallas County Jail that had been neglected by the Sheriff's predecessor. By partnering with the Parkland Hospital System, the Department has brought about a sharp improvement in medical care provided to inmates.

Sheriff Lupe Valdez will continue to work tirelessly to bring needed change to the Dallas County Sheriff's Department. Protecting public health in Dallas County by continuing to improve the medical conditions in the Dallas County Jail will remain a top priority.

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