The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) currently lists Clay County Jail in Texas as a Non-Compliant Jail on the TCJS website. A Notice of Non-Compliance was issued on August 10, 2023. It specifies the minimum jail standard the jail was cited for in a jail inspection report issued on the same day. TCJS inspectors allege that the Henrietta, Texas, jail violated 1 minimum jail standard.

The address of Clay County Jail is 215 West Gilbert Street, Henrietta, TX, 76365. The jail has a housing capacity of 38 inmates. Details on alleged noncompliance follow.

Rule §273.3-Health Instructions

Clay County Jail was found to be non-compliant with the following rule in the chapter on Health Services. Rule §273.3-Health Instructions states: All medical instructions of designated physicians shall be followed. TCJS Inspector’s notes are below.

• Medication was not administered as designated by a physician due to the provider running out with no backup pharmacy established to provide the required medications. The missed medication error rate is that out of 30 entries, there were 76 errors equaling a 25.3% compliance rate for medication not distributed.

The failure to administer needed medications to detainees can be a serious and sometimes deadly matter.  

Clay County Jail was Found Noncompliant in 2019 After a Custodial Death Occurred There

Clay County Jail was also found noncompliant after a special jail inspection on October 9, 2019. Allegedly, Clay County Jail violated Rule §275.1-Regular Observation by Jailers. The inspector’s notes with regard to that violation follow, and they pertain to activities surrounding a custodial death that occurred at the Clay County Jail:

• After reviewing video and documentation in conjunction with self-reporting of facility administration, it was determined that the face-to-face observation, prior to the inmate being discovered, did not occur due to the inmate obstructing the view of the jailer by placing coverings around his bunk. Additionally, while the jailer documented that rounds were conducted within the required time period, one round was 14 minutes late, another round was 8 minutes late, and eight rounds documented as conducted did not occur at all.