Carson County, Texas Jail Fails State Inspection
Carson County, Texas Jail Found Out of Compliance With State Jail Standards
On January 28, 2026, the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) issued a Special Notice of Non-Compliance to the Carson County Jail following an inspection conducted in early January. This notice signals serious deficiencies in how the facility is managing critical systems involving inmate custody classifications and staff training — issues that directly affect detainee safety and rights. The inspection identified the following violations of the Texas Minimum Jail Standards:
1. Custody Reassessment Violations (§271.1(a)(12)(b)(3)):
Every inmate should have regular and documented reassessments of their custody level — typically within 30–90 days of the initial assessment and after any change in status. However, the inspector found that the custody reassessment forms lacked the required dates, making it impossible to verify whether these assessments happened on schedule.
2. Staff Training Deficiencies (§271.3):
The jail failed to ensure that staff responsible for classification duties completed the minimum required training on inmate assessments and housing decisions. Among 50 records reviewed, the majority were completed by a classification officer who did not have verification of the required training.
Custody classifications determine essential aspects of how an inmate is housed, supervised, and treated while incarcerated. If reassessments are not properly timed, documented, or performed by trained staff, the system that protects inmates — and staff — breaks down. Improper classification can affect the level of supervision a detainee receives and potentially place them in more dangerous housing situations than necessary. Training required by the TCJS exists because classification decisions involve risk assessment, behavior prediction, and safety determinations that have real consequences for people behind bars.
Here are some other posts our law firm published about the Carson County, Texas jail:
Dean Malone
Dean Malone