Oklahoma Co. Sheriff defends jail's conditions

More key findings from the Justice Department's report:

•Suicide prevention: "Our review of the investigations involving completed suicides and suicide attempts revealed the jail's failure to respond adequately to issues that could help mitigate the success of these activities.”

•Inadequate investigation of serious incidents: "While the jail does have an investigatory process, that process is often inadequate to prevent an adequate understanding of the causes leading to an event, or to implement measures to prevent future, similar events ... The jail lacks a formal process for reviewing even detainee deaths for operational breakdowns.”

•Inadequate health care: "We uncovered instances where detainees were not provided adequate access to medical care, specifically acute services — with dire results.”

•When an inmate was cuffed to a handrail while giving birth to a baby that later died: "In our expert's opinion, this woman's care was 'unconscionable' during the hours she was in critical need of access to medical care.”

•Inadequate mental health care: "Other than medicating detainees with Thorazine (which is an older anti-psychotic medication with serious potential side-effects), the jail offers essentially no mental health services to its seriously mentally ill.”

•Unsanitary conditions at jail annex: "Detainees have no soap in the cells to wash their hands. Further, the toilet and drinking faucets are small units with the faucet and basin just above the uncovered, foul smelling, filthy commode stool. If a detainee needs water, the detainee has to cup his hand under the faucet and lap water from his hands close above the filth of the toilet bowl.”

•Fire hazards: "Fire safety is a grave concern for this jail. We found serious problems with fire safety training, policies, and safety equipment. Both staff and detainees are in serious jeopardy of injury or death during a fire emergency.”

Source: U.S. Department of Justice