In a recent news report, officials met to discuss worsening conditions in Texas jails, including overcrowding and other areas of non-compliance. The issues were discussed as a crisis, especially considering that jails are the largest liability county jails typically face. Backed-up court dockets in the last few years have a lot to do with jail overpopulation, a condition that leads to additional problems.

Smith County Jail is Cited for Multiple Violations of Minimum Jail Standards

In a Jail Inspection Report dated March 22-24, 2022, Smith County Jail is cited for violating 6 minimum jail standards. Most of the alleged violations can be linked to the issue of overcrowding.

§259.138-Holding Cells. County jails are required to have one or more holding cells, and they are provided to hold inmates who are pending intake, release, processing, or for some other reason in need of temporary holding. Inmates are not to be kept in a holding cell longer than 48 hours.

• The inspector noted that a citation for the same violation of the rule not to keep inmates in holding cells longer than 48 hours was issued in a February 25, 2022, Special Inspection Report.

Obviously, when a jail is cited for the same violation in multiple jail inspection reports, it is a sign of an ongoing issue for which a solution has not been found. Overcrowding is one of the reasons often given for keeping inmates in holding cells longer than the maximum time allowed.

This website was designed to provide helpful information to Texas inmates incarcerated in municipal and county jails. Suggesting that an individual or organization has been a participant in wrongdoing is not intended.

–Guest Contributor