The Tioga Police Department in Tioga, Texas, arrested Lorelei Then Palmore on April 20, 2022. She was placed in Grayson County Jail in Sherman, Texas, that day. Tragically, the 63-year-old suffered from meth withdrawal, was transported to a hospital, and died in the custody of the jail on April 23, 2022.

Lack of Supervision Allegedly Contributes to Heightened Violence in Harris County Jail

Analysis of the self-reported assault figures provided by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) strongly suggests that the Harris County jail system in Houston is the most violent in the state. Situations that have presumably contributed to the escalation of violence include staffing shortages and a change in county policies resulting in a much higher percentage of inmates charged with violent crimes.

At one point in time in 2021, there was a 1-in-10 chance of an inmate being an assault victim. Guards have also increasingly been assaulted in Harris County jail facilities.

An advocate for detention officers in Harris County says the staffing crisis at Harris County Jail has resulted in the removal of required face-to-face observations of inmates anytime prisoners are being escorted from their cell block to other places, such as the medical infirmary. Advocates of jail reform said in January 2022 that there had been warnings of potential riot conditions in the Harris County jail facilities for months. Such conditions create tensions among staff members and hostilities among inmates.

For more information, see Part 1 and Part 2 of this ongoing series.

Implying that an individual or entity is a participant in acts of wrongdoing is never intended on this website. Providing inmates with helpful resources is the reason for each post on this site. Specifically, the aim is to assist county jail inmates in Texas.

–Guest Contributor